Does Rust-Oleum 214944 reflective spray really stop speed cameras from working?
Does Reflective Spray Actually Work on License Plates? I Tested Rust-Oleum 214944.
Update. I’ve had 4 photo radar tickets. 3 from before I applied this and one after. The one after was in the daytime though so this obviously does not work in the daytime.
So, I was scrolling through Instagram when I came across a video that stopped me in my tracks. Someone sprayed their license plate with a reflective coating—Rust-Oleum 214944—claiming it could mess with photo radar cameras. Naturally, I had to try it.
Here’s the backstory: over the past few months, my household has received three photo radar tickets. Two were mine, one was my wife’s. Each time, we were caught going about 11 km/h over the limit (that’s roughly 6.5 mph). Not exactly speeding demons, but enough to get dinged.
So, I ordered the same reflective spray from the video and set out to debunk or possibly prove whether it works. Spoiler alert: the results were… interesting.
The Test
I grabbed my trusty Sofirn IF30 flashlight, which cranks out 12,000 lumens, and shone it directly at my license plate before applying any spray. As expected, the plate was easy to read.
Then I applied the Rust-Oleum 214944. It went on evenly, dried fairly quickly, and once it cured, I hit it with the flashlight again.
The Results
There was a noticeable difference. Under the intense beam of the flashlight, the plate became far more reflective and a little harder to read, depending on the angle.
But here’s the thing:
I don’t think this is a one-and-done solution. You’d likely have to reapply it repeatedly to maintain any effect. Over time, rain, dirt
On it’s own, Rust-Oleum 214944 might not be the complete solution. You will need to clean the plate thoroughly before applying the Rust-Oleum 214944 but it certainly won’t hurt your chances.