If you are considering adding a bumper sticker on your car, it can be a fantastic way to express your thoughts or show your support for a cause.
However, installing them in certain places may have negative effects on your car body and your driving experience.
In this article, we explore 7 spots to avoid when installing bumper stickers. If you want to keep you and your automobile safe. Join us as we list them below.
Table of Contents
1. The Car’s Windshield
When installing bumper stickers, vehicle owners should avoid the windshield of their cars. This is because installing stickers on certain areas of the windshield may obscure the driver’s ability to see the road, other vehicles, or pedestrians.
Where drivers are less careful, this can lead to accidents and injuries, as the stickers would obstruct the windshield, which gives the driver a clear view of the road ahead.
Owing to the risks that accompany placing bumper stickers on windshields, some states have laws that prohibit drivers from putting anything on their windshield.
Prioritizing the driver’s vision and safety is very important when installing bumper stickers on a vehicle. However, if you have installed bumper stickers in the wrong place, find the best methods you can use to remove the bumper stickers here.
2. License Plate
License plates are necessary for vehicle identification by law officials. Owing to this, fixing bumper stickers on them can make it more challenging for law enforcement officers and surveillance cameras to read the plate numbers of the car.
Owners should avoid the license plates when fixing bumper stickers to avoid issues with the law. In certain situations where law enforcement agents can’t read the plate number, they may subject the car owner to fines, penalties, or other legal punishments.
In some states, it is against the law to install stickers on the license plates. This includes New York, where owners can’t put any material on their plates. California also warrants no bumper stickers on license plates.
Breaking this law in these states automatically leads to a ticket or a fine.
It is also important to avoid the license plates as some bumper stickers can also damage them depending on the material and the manner in which owners fix them.
This will warrant more expenses for the owner where the damage is too bad to correct and the license plate needs replacement.
3. The Front or Rear Light
It is best to avoid fixing bumper stickers on the front and rear lights of your vehicles. A car’s front and rear lights are crucial for visibility and driving safety. Owing to this, applying certain stickers on them can block the light they produce to an extent.
This can make it difficult for drivers to see the road ahead and other drivers on the road. It can also make it difficult for other drivers to see the car, especially in the night, or during severe weather.
The positioning of bumper stickers on cars must comply with the laws of the state. These laws frequently specify the light size, color, and location.
Though there is no information on whether the law allows bumper stickers on these lights, it is best to avoid these lights when installing your stickers, as they may violate the laws on car lights.
Overall, it is best for car owners to choose a position on their car that won’t jeopardize their safety or break the law. To learn more about this, make sure you check out our post on the bumper sticker rules you must follow.
4. Side Mirrors
Side mirrors are crucial features of a car. We highly recommend that car owners refrain from fixing bumper stickers on them for safety reasons, as they serve an important role in a car’s safety system.
These mirrors give the driver a better view of what’s going on in their surroundings and the blind areas when driving. Owing to this, stickers on the mirrors can impair the driver’s vision and jeopardize road safety.
It is also a common knowledge that some bumper stickers can damage the surface that owners installed them in. Owing to this, applying a sticker to a side mirror may cause damage to the mirror’s surface, which can warrant pricey repairs to restore.
5. Painted Surfaces
If owners can remove their bumper stickers properly, they shouldn’t have issues installing them on the painted surfaces of their vehicles.
However, where owners are not careful enough and follow the wrong process, bumper stickers can damage the paint of their vehicle by causing scratches, peeling, and others.
It can also cause a residue that is challenging to remove on the spot. Damaged paint and residual bumper stickers can cause expensive repairs to the car. It may warrant as much as getting the entire surface repainted in certain situations.
Bumper stickers can as well ruin the look of an automobile when owners install them on painted surfaces. This can be worse if there is residue remains after removal of the stickers, which can give the car an untidy look.
Owing to this, the resale value of the car can reduce when owners try to sell the car in the future, as the car’s exterior can deter potential purchasers, making them unwilling to buy it.
We, therefore, recommend car owners with no proper knowledge on how to remove them to avoid installing bumper stickers on painted surfaces of the vehicle for maximum protection of the paint.
Instead, pick a spot on the bumper or another part of the automobile that won’t reduce its value or attraction. We explored 5 best places for your bumper stickers here.
6. Wheels or Rims
Bumper stickers on a car’s wheels can cause damage to them. These include damages owing to corrosion that depends on the material of the wheel. Here, the wheel’s metal may rust and weaken over time if the adhesive on the sticker reacts to it.
Bumper stickers can also damage the wheels when owners try to clean the road debris, dirt and grime that they are continually vulnerable to. This is because the sticker surface may need more attention and rigorous cleaning than the other parts of the wheels.
In this process, if the cleaner is not careful, he/she can leave scratches on the affected surface while using force to clean it.
After removal of the sticker, there is also the potential that the adhesive in the sticker can leave residues that are challenging to remove on the wheels. Leaving this residue on the wheels can be unattractive to the overall exterior of the car, reducing its resale value.
Where glue is part of the sticker, there is also a probability it may melt in certain conditions, especially if owners fix them in a hot area on the wheel, like the brake caliper.
In this circumstance, the heat can peel off the sticker while leaving a sticky film on the wheel, and an ugly look on the car’s appearance.
We highly recommend avoiding bumper stickers on the wheels or rim of your car. This is because rusted metal, residual bumper stickers, and damaged wheels can lower the car’s overall value and reduce its attraction.
7. Door Handles
Bumper stickers on the door handle may not pose any safety issue. However, it can damage the handle or affect its performance. This can happen when owners cover the whole handle with the sticker, making it difficult for it to function smoothly.
Driving can also expose the handles of a car to road grit and dirt, which can build up on the sticker’s surface and can cause harm to the handle surface while cleaning. It also makes the door handles look unattractive and unprofessional in most cases.
Owing to this, if the owner wants to sell the car in the future, it may lose some of its overall charm and turn off potential purchasers.
Therefore, it is preferable to stay away from applying bumper stickers to door handles in order to preserve the handle’s functionality, the car’s aesthetic, and to avoid any potential handle damage.
Meanwhile, you should know whether you can have bumper stickers on your car, based on your profession.
Sources
What Are the Laws on Car Decals? – National Motorists Association

