I have sprayed my number plates with Safe Plate, to protect against the flash of speed cameras.

But on a TV programme I watched, a driver was stopped by a policeman who'd photographed his plate with his in-car camera, which showed it was unreadable.

The driver was given a £60 fine. I bought the spray because it was said to be legal, but now I'm wondering if I'm breaking the law.

What is the legal position on this? - Name and address withheld

A these products have been illegal for some time, although very few people are aware of that.

Fewer still (including most police forces) know which statutory provisions ban their use.

Here's the law: it is an offence contrary to the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 to drive (or keep) a mechanically-propelled vehicle on a public road on which the registration plate "contain(s) reflex-reflecting material" or the plate has been "treated in such a way that the characters... become retroflective characters" or has "been treated in such a way that the making of a true photographic image of the plate through the medium of a camera and film or other device would be prevented or impaired".

Police can issue fixed-penalty fines of up to £1,000 for illegally-displayed number plates.

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