Why Does the License Plate Fall Off When Driving Through Water?
3 Answers
When a car moves quickly through water, the water in front of the vehicle is rapidly pushed downward from above the bumper toward the underside of the car, generating a strong top-to-bottom impact force. Poor-quality license plates made of thin metal sheets can be torn apart by this force, causing them to fall off. Below is some relevant information about license plates: 1. Temporary License Plates: Temporary license plates are issued by vehicle management authorities when a car is undergoing registration procedures and has not yet been officially registered. Temporary plates have time and regional restrictions. They can be applied for at the local vehicle management office under certain conditions. 2. Fire and Rescue Vehicle License Plates: These plates have a white background with black characters and the red Chinese characters "Emergency Response." For cars, the plate consists of 8 characters: the abbreviated Chinese character of the province (autonomous region, or municipality), the code of the rescue team, a four-digit serial number, and the Chinese characters "Emergency Response." For motorcycles, the plate has 7 characters: the Chinese characters "Emergency Response," the abbreviated Chinese character of the province (autonomous region, or municipality), a three-digit serial number, and the code of the rescue team.
A while ago, when I drove through a deep puddle, the wave splashed up and washed away my license plate. Later, when I towed it to the repair shop, I found out that the screws holding the license plate had already rusted and loosened. The impact of the water just flipped the plate off. Another time, a friend told me that his car went through water too fast, and the force of the current was so strong that it bent the license plate bracket. The material of the license plate isn’t very sturdy either, especially for older cars like ours, where the screw holes are prone to corrosion and wear. In such cases, it’s best to slow down immediately, pull over, and check the license plate. Otherwise, if the plate falls off and you drive without it, the police won’t be lenient.
Losing a license plate on the road is usually related to the fixing method. For example, if the screws are not tightened or inferior bolts are used, they may loosen under the impact of water pressure. Additionally, when the water flow is fast, the uneven force on the license plate can also cause it to fall off. There's physics behind this: high water resistance can make the license plate unable to withstand the force, leading to its loss. For daily maintenance, it's important to check if the bolts are rusted or damaged, and use stainless steel bolts if necessary. When driving through water, keep the speed below 10 km/h and avoid sudden acceleration to reduce the impact of water flow on the license plate. Remember, losing a license plate may result in fines or vehicle impoundment, which is not worth the risk.
