In sunny Southern California, where the sun shines brightly and UV rays are intense, many drivers resort to installing window tinting on their car’s front and rear glass to shield themselves from the sun. However, for one local woman, this decision led to unexpected trouble with law enforcement.
Joan, a Chinese-American woman, recently received a ticket while driving in the Ojai area. The reason? She was cited for violating California’s Vehicle Code, section 26708, which regulates window tinting. Although the law requires that the driver’s side window must have a transparency of at least 70%, many window tints on the market fall well below this standard.
“I’ve lived in Southern California for years and had my windows tinted to protect myself from sun damage,” Joan explained. “I never had an issue until I went on a day trip to Ventura County with friends and was pulled over by the police.” Initially, she assumed she was being ticketed for parking, only to discover it was about her window tint. The fine was a mere $25, but the officer instructed her to remove the tint from both her windshield and the driver’s side window and obtain certification from local authorities.
After learning that the cost to remove and reapply the tint is similar, amounting to several hundred dollars, Joan felt she had no choice but to comply. If she didn’t remove the tint, the fine could escalate to $197.
Joan’s experience is not unique; many drivers in Southern California share her plight. For instance, Ms. Xu, another Chinese woman, also has dark tints on her windows to avoid sun exposure. She recalled that when she had her car tinted, the staff informed her that, while the tint exceeded legal limits, officers typically do not enforce this law and she had no concerns about receiving a ticket.
However, others have not been so fortunate. In August, a man driving a Dodge Challenger had his tinted windows checked by California Highway Patrol, raising concerns about public safety.
Mr. Liu, who had received a ticket years ago for excessively dark tint, emphasized the dangers associated with such choices. “Dark tints can lead to fines and pose risks, especially at night when visibility is low. If a person, vehicle, or animal is nearby, those inside might not see them in time,” he said, cautioning that older adults particularly struggle with vision and should avoid dark tints.
Patrol Captain Erin Liu from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department added that dark window tints create significant challenges for law enforcement. “If officers cannot see into a car, they have no way of knowing what’s happening inside,” she explained. While the law does provide grounds for traffic stops based on tint levels, police generally understand that people are trying to protect themselves from the sun and will not aggressively enforce the law as long as they can see the occupants inside the vehicle.
