Muddy Number Plate Warning

Drivers have been warned to wipe down their number plates to free them from Mud during bad weather. Experts advised motorists always to carry a cloth to clear Mud from their number plates regularly. 

They say dirty plates can be a real problem at this time of year and warn that if Mud obscures the plate so it can’t be read, the vehicle owner risks a £1,000 fine.

They urged drivers to check their rear number plate, mainly as this tends to become dirtier due to muddy water spraying up from the road.

The problem is terrible at this time of year due to the weather conditions, along with grit and filthy puddles gathering in potholes.

The number plate experts from Absolute Reg recently made a Freedom of Information request to police forces across England and Wales, revealing around 20,000 drivers are fined for number plate offences yearly.

They received data from 30 out of 43 police forces showing that around 14,000 drivers were prosecuted for VRM (vehicle registration mark) offences each year between 2021 and 2022.

The total number is likely close to 20,000 a year if the 13 forces that didn’t respond to the FOI request are factored in at the same average levels.

Offences include breaches such as incorrect font, spacing or tinting on front or rear number plates – sometimes both. They also include offences such as driving without a number plate or having one obscured by Mud to the point where it is unreadable.

The figures will also include some motorists who have been fined for having the light out on their number plate, making it illegible in darkness.

Of the 14,000 annual offences, around 6,000 each year were in London, with the Met reporting 5969 in 2021 and 5739 in 2022.

Jake Smith, Director at Absolute Reg, said while the data didn’t reveal exactly how many drivers were fined for dirty number plates, the number was likely to be significant.

He said: “Mud is the number one factor in making number plates impossible to decipher, and this time of the year is when drivers have to be particularly vigilant.

“We have all seen cars driving around with the rear end so muddy the number plate is obscured, but it seems many drivers aren’t aware that they are breaking the law when this happens.

“From the police’s point of view, this is unacceptable because if that vehicle were involved in a speeding incident, a collision or some criminal activity, it would be impossible to trace without the plate being visible to any cameras.

“If the police see a car driving around with an unreadable plate, they can stop it and issue the driver a fine of £1,000.

“But many motorists don’t realise their responsibility is to ensure their number plates are readable on the road.

“That means there is a requirement for them to wipe down any mud that has gathered on the plates to keep them clean and easy to read.

“We urge all drivers to keep a rag with them, which they can use to wipe down the plates quickly.

“Both plates should be kept clean, but the rear plate always attracts more muck than the front plate.

“By carrying a rag with them on all journeys, drivers can always ensure they stay on the right side of the law.” 

To learn more about the current laws and rules concerning vehicle number plates, please visit https://absolutereg.co.uk/news/number-plate-rules-the-law.