Friday, February 10, 2012

STORYLINE Ask Officer Michelle

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Posted by DCaroll

I had a Lexus a few years ago and the prior owner had tinted the front

driver and passenger windows. My wife was pulled over while driving the

car and was cited for the tinted windows. The ticket forced us to

remove the tint and have an officer sign off. Ignoring it, I was told,

would prevent us from registering the car. Has this law been changed?

The reason I ask is because it seems every 5th car I see today has dark

tinted front windows. I was next to a Corvette the other day in bright

daylight and I couldn’t even see the outline of a driver, let alone if

there was an actual person in there. How do they get away with it?

Dear DCaroll,

California Vehicle Code is pretty specific. It states that, you may not apply any color tint to your vehicle. Clear, colorless, and transparent material may be installed, affixed, or applied to the front side windows, located to the immediate left and right of the front seat if the following conditions are met:

(1) The material has a minimum visible light transmittance of 88 percent.

(2) The window glazing with the material applied meets all requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205 (49 C.F.R. 571.205), including the specified minimum light transmittance of 70 percent and the abrasion resistance of AS-14 glazing, as specified in that federal standard. If you fail to get the ticket signed off, it can inhibit your ability to register the vehicle.

Most vehicles sold today have a tinted material fused into the glass. Car makers and windshield retailers must comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. California’s standards are even stricter. You may see high end vehicles with darker tinted windows like your Lexus.

Officers often times use this vehicle code for probable cause to stop a vehicle. It is not that the police aren’t concerned about these types of violations; it is just that all agencies are swamped with higher priority calls. As far as people getting away with tinting their windows, its not that they are getting away with it, it is that they just haven’t been caught…yet.

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Steve Tuck

March 1, 2010 | 9:39 AM

For those who don't speak legal-ese you cannot tint your front windows. I know some people who have tinted a shade or two but if you go "blacked out" you risk being cited and in some cases the officer will make you peel the tint off right there on the spot. It happened to my brother-in-law and I've herad others say it's happened to them. It is correct that officers have higher priorities than stopping people for illegal tint but imagine you have tinted front windows and a cop on a slow day sees you. You'll get popped.

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Oracle

March 1, 2010 | 11:51 AM

Tinting front windows is asking for being pulled over. You may have something in the car or be doing something even more illegal. It's just plain stupid to tint those windows and I have a friend who will testify to that!
Cops hate tinted windows because they can't see the front seat occupants who may be pulling guns. Gangbangers are notorious for tinting front windows. Most people tint them to keep from being seen talking on cellphones, texting or drinking alcohol. Want a ticket or an arrest? Tint those front windows.

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JoesacramentoDotCom

March 1, 2010 | 1:08 PM

Hi Officer Michelle. Why do so many people get away with limo tints on their front windows and windshield? I have seen cars roll right past cops and the cops do nothing about it. This could be a huge source of revenue for Sacramento if law enforcement started enforcing. It would also be nice if you started enforcing the noise pollution laws. The motorcycles and vehicles with obnoxious tailpipes and mods are out of control. When are you guys going to start enforcing these laws?

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Michelle Lazark

March 2, 2010 | 9:31 AM

The law still applies, even for limos. We do cite people for vehicle code violations pertaining to modifications. As far as why you see vehicles that don't get stopped, I can only tell you that if there is a higher priority call pending, or if an officer is enroute to a call, or if they have a person in the back of their squad car, they won't do any such self initiated activity. Most officers are going from call to call...its not an excuse, but essentially the reality.

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Casey Kirk

March 1, 2010 | 2:08 PM

Did I read this right? "It states that, you may not apply any color tint to your vehicle..." You said that clear, colorless or transparent material can be applied to front or side but what about rear windshields?

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revoir

April 24, 2010 | 3:28 AM

Interesting list of tips and ideas on how to efficiently save energy consumption. There are actually so many energy conservation products already available in the market such as window tints. While most window films are for reducing solar heat gain in the summer, low-e films both block summer heat and improve winter heat retention. For each degree you raise or lower your thermostat, you can save anywhere from 1 to 5 percent on your cooling or heating bills depending on where you live. Learn more about window tints at www.TintBuyer.com. They provide relevant information about window tints such as its types, quotations and will help you locate the best professional tinter near your area.

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