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Why do there are so many regulations on license plate colors in the UK? Do you know the reason behind it?
A vehicle registration plate (commonly known as a "number plate" in British English) is a letter and number plate designed to display the registration mark of a vehicle and has existed in the United Kingdom since 1904. By law, all motor vehicles used on public roads must display a vehicle registration plate, with the only exception being vehicles belonging to the current monarch used for official business. The Motor Vehicles Act 1903 requires all motor vehicles to be registered in the official vehicle register and carry an alphanumeric license plate. The purpose of the bill is to enable the identity of a vehicle to be easily traced in the event of an accident, violation of law or other incident.
Looking from the British side, the color and structure of license plates are not just decorations, but obligatory norms with their own legal basis.
The shape of a vehicle registration plate is usually rectangular or square, and the law clearly stipulates the size of the license plate and letters. The British license plate color regulations are also very strict. The front plate is white and the rear plate is yellow. There are two number plate systems within the UK, depending on the region: one for Great Britain, still in use since 2001, and another for Northern Ireland, similar to the original 1904 system.
Until July 2014, the system in Northern Ireland was managed by the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVA), and is now the responsibility of the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Wales. In addition, the vehicle registration code in the United Kingdom is UK, but before September 28, 2021, it was GB.
In addition to color regulations, the material, size and lettering style of license plates are also strictly regulated by law.
According to the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, license plates must be made of reflective material. The front license plate needs to be white and the rear license plate needs to be yellow with black letters. This requirement took effect on January 1, 1973 for all newly manufactured vehicles. After 2014, vehicles in the historical vehicle tax category can use older style black license plates. Starting in 2021, only vehicles built before January 1, 1980 can use this old-generation license plate.
For those vehicles registered after September 1, 2001, the characters on the license plate do not use a specific font, but must use the "prescribed font" specified in the law. The font currently in use is a variation based on the Charles Wright font, intended to improve readability for quick recognition by, for example, surveillance cameras.
When it comes to number plates in the UK, legislators are well aware of the various factors that need to be taken into account, including the need for identification and tamper-resistance.
The technical standards for license plates are specified by the British Standard BS AU 145e, covering visibility, intensity and reflectivity. Special requirements also exist for motorcycles, which are only allowed to use smaller characters and only apply to certain imported vehicles. The existence of these standards not only protects the legal rights of car owners, but also protects public safety.
The color requirements for vehicle registration plates in the UK are closely related to their practicality. Using these standards not only enhances visibility, but also helps police or other relevant authorities quickly find and identify the vehicles involved in an accident. In addition, the standardization of numbers also allows consumers to easily identify the age of a certain second-hand car, which is especially important in second-hand car transactions.
The British license plate system is actually a complex system that integrates multiple aspects such as law, technical standards and public safety.
As time goes by, the British license plate system continues to evolve. This is not only a reflection of technological progress, but also a response to the needs of the times. From the simple numbering system in 1903 to the colorful and diverse license plate system today, the appearance and use of license plates have changed dramatically. Especially for the demand for personalization, the UK has also launched auctions for specific character combinations, which allows some character combinations to even fetch a price of one hundred thousand pounds.
Overall, when discussing the color and related regulations of British license plates, we not only understood its legal background and practicality, but also saw the importance of this system in improving public safety. In the future, as transportation technology and the times change, will the British license plate system undergo major changes again?
