British Cars

[sarahsterry]

Why have british cars got a white front number plate and a yellow back number plate

[catmat]

I always assumed it was so that it is easy for your subconsious to detect in a fraction of a second which way a car is pointing.

[jake-the-peg]

They used to be white on a background but this was changed in 1973 to the current reflective plates so that unlit vehicles could be seen more easily at night.

There is a principal that no white light should be displayed at the rear of a vehicle so they were made yellow at the back. This is so you can tell the direction of motion. 

The white light at the rear on the reversing light is because effectively when a vehicle is reversing the rear is the front - I suppose technically when reversing the headlights should go red, but that'd just be silly! 

[dilligaf]

Number plate lights at the rear are white.