Excessive speed is one of the most common reckless driving behaviors. In 2022, the DGT filed more than 5.5 million complaints on the Spanish roads under its jurisdiction, of which 3.7 million were for exceeding the speed limit. This is clear from a report prepared by Associated European Motorists (AEA) in which it highlights that violations of this type increased by 21.2% compared to the previous year.
Driving without the fear of being hunted by a speed radar is the dream of thousands of drivers who are surprised every year by these devices placed on the roads. GPS equipped with advanced fixed radar detection systems have become strategic allies for drivers seeking to avoid penalties for speeding. But, on the other hand, these devices do not offer information about the exact location of the mobile radars, which in 2022 made more than 1.1 million complaints, 30.19% more than the previous year.
The smartest motorists resort to all kinds of strategies, many of which are illegal, to avoid falling into the network of speed cameras. One of the most widespread traps consists of converting the numbers and letters of the car license plate into invisible digits to prevent the speedometers from being able to read the license plate and process the complaint, which is done automatically.
This trick consists of hiding the original characters on the license plate with black stickers identical in shape to the numbers and letters on the plate. By placing the stickers on top of each digit, they become invisible to the cameras, since the material with which the adhesive is made contains reflective material that bounces off the light beam emitted by the radar. In this way, the speedometer cannot correctly read the license plate and, therefore, the driver avoids the corresponding fine.
In the video shared on Instagram by the user auto4parts, we can see how a person covers the original characters of a car’s license plate by using identical numbers and letters.
These new digits are made of a reflective material that goes unnoticed by the naked eye and seeks to avoid detection by surveillance systems by camouflaging the license plate with elements that are easily confused with the original characters.
This tactic is effective in circumventing speed cameras equipped with cameras that use a conventional flash, whether on highway gantries or mobile radars. However, it is important to highlight that the latest generation radars are equipped with infrared cameras, so they do not emit the flash that repels the aforementioned strategy.
This technological advance allows speedometers to detect and record excess speed discreetly, even in low visibility conditions.
Paying a fine for speeding can end up being much cheaper than having to face a penalty for covering up or making the digits on the license plate difficult to read. Article 10 of the Traffic Law establishes that “the driver must verify that the vehicle’s registration plates do not present obstacles that prevent or hinder their reading and identification.”
Driving without a license plate, carrying it that is not visible or illegible, is a serious infraction that carries a fine of 200 euros without loss of points. But it is much more serious to manipulate the plate, as occurs in the case previously reported. Deliberately retouching any of the digits, whether by erasing part of the drawing or placing an adhesive element that makes identification difficult, entails a fine of 6,000 points and a deduction of 6 points from the license.
After the entry into force of the new Traffic Law in 2022, carrying a radar jammer that interferes with its operation is also punished with a fine of 6,000 euros and the withdrawal of 6 points from your license.