FAQ: What’s the Best Font Size for Vehicle Graphics?

What’s the best font size for vehicle graphics? Thanks for asking. There’s not one cut and dried answer to your question. Much depends on what you’re trying to accomplish and what your message is. You also need to consider your brands fonts. What fonts are used in your logo, taglines, and copy? There are several factors to be considered.

• What type and size of vehicle is it?
• How much copy is included in the design?
• What is the color of vehicle and how will it contrast with the font?

Any combination of font style, size, and color can and will affect the readability of vehicle graphics. The key to effective fleet graphic design is combining appearance with legibility. There are too many designs, which although visually striking, are difficult to decipher, which detracts from the purpose of vehicle advertising. So, what’s the best font size for vehicle graphics?

What’s the Best Font Size for Vehicle Graphics?

There’s no Absolute Formula

It’s generally accepted that stationary signs can be seen, when unhindered, from set distances. For example, ADAAG guidelines state that 3-inch letters may be seen up to 25 feet away and 6-inch letters 35 feet or more. But what happens if the “sign” is moving at 55 MPH on the side of a fleet vehicle? The USS (United States Sign Council) uses a formula to determine the optimum signage square footage required for a sign to be seen by moving cars. VRT (viewer reaction time) + MPH/800 = recommended square footage for a stationary sign. This will vary by road complexity. But what if the buying public and the sign are both moving?

It’s complicated, but here are a few keys to consider.

• Use an easy to read font—stay away from italics and scripts
• Use good color contrast between the font and background
• What is the letter weight, which is the thickness of the character relative to their height? Fonts are available in multiple weights from ultra-light to extra-bold.
• Find the largest font size possible that fits the vehicle and the overall graphic design
• Use the KISS method. Keep it simple. Don’t overload the design with color and copy
• Could window film increase the design area and enhance the font legibility? 10 Examples of How to Use Window Graphics to Make Your Vehicle Wrap More Effective
• Opening the interior of lettering by extending the copy horizontally or vertically can improve legibility.

Don’t Settle for an Attractive Look that Doesn’t Send Your Message 

A pretty vehicle graphic that doesn’t communicate the purpose of the vehicle, who the organization is, what they do, and how they may be contacted isn’t attractive—it’s a mistake. By taking the time to combine aesthetics with font legibility at the beginning of a vehicle graphic design, a wrap can be both attractive and utilitarian. If you’d like to learn more, let us know. We’ll help you “size up” your vehicle graphic options. We can help you answer, “What’s the best font size for vehicle graphics?”