Tinted windows: British police offer free checks, short amnesty before prosecuting owners

  • Published
  • By Karen Abeyasekere
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England --  With much of the United States having hot, sunny weather, many Americans tend to have tinted windows on their vehicles.

Many are also extremely tinted, which though acceptable in the U.S., is illegal in the United Kingdom when tinted over a certain percentage.

Starting Feb. 8 to March 9, the Ministry of Defence Police will be performing free checks of tinted windows, so people can find out whether their vehicle is within legal limits, or if the tint has to be removed.

"The concern is because there have been several fatalities recently in Suffolk, which are believed to have been caused partly because of tinted windows," said Police Constable Paul Glover, MoD Police, RAF Mildenhall.

"Motorcyclists have been hit by cars with heavily-tinted windows, and it's this that is believed to have heavily contributed to the accidents. Most happened at dusk or after, when it is very hard to see. With tinted windows, you can't see dark shapes, because they result in poorer vision," he said.

PC Glover explained that about three months ago, it was publicized in local media that the Suffolk Police were carrying out a 30-day amnesty all over Suffolk. If people thought their vehicles were illegally tinted, they could have them checked by the police. However, if stopped after the 30-day period, vehicle-owners would be prosecuted.

Base members should be aware that it's only Suffolk that's offering the 30-day amnesty - no other county is doing this, and anyone stopped by police in any other county will be immediately prosecuted or fined, with no exceptions.

"All newcomers are briefed of the rules on this at the newcomers' briefings, so they should be aware of it," PC Glover said. "However, we understand that many base personnel may not have seen the article in the local papers, which is why we are giving them this extra time to have their windows checked."

Legally, in accordance with Vehicle and Operator Services Agency regulations, the "A-pillar" of the car (front windshield and driver's and front passenger's windows) must allow 75 percent of transmitted light through, so vehicles can only have 25 percent tint. Rear side windows and the rear window have no limit, so can be darker.

"We realize that the legal limit in the States is 30 percent, so we allow that," he added, "but anything over that is illegal and must be removed immediately."

"All vehicles straight from factories are within legal limits," PC Glover said. "However, when buyers have additional tinting added before or after purchase, that usually takes it straight over the legal limit.

During the free checks (or if stopped by the police off-base after the 30-day period) three points are tested by a special machine, to ensure the windows are within legal limits.

Anyone stopped after the 30 days are up will either have to immediately remove the tint while the police are present, or they will be given an on-the-spot fine. If the tint cannot be immediately removed, a prohibition will be put on the vehicle, which means the Suffolk Traffic Office will put a notice on it to say the vehicle can't be driven until the tint is removed.

"This is in no way targeting Americans, but making them aware of the information previously published in the local press, the police officer said. "Any vehicle, whether British or American, will be stopped by the police if it has heavily tinted windows."
The police advise drivers to remove the tint themselves, rather than taking it to a garage to be removed, as they will charge for doing it.

"If you do have to remove the tint, make sure the glue is removed with either acetone or white spirit," PC Glover said. "Otherwise, when the windows are wound down, they can stick, which then burns out the motors."

A window tint check is not part of a Ministry of Transport test, he added.

"Just because your vehicle has passed the MoT, doesn't mean the tinting is legal," he said. "Having illegally-tinted windows is a safety issue - if the police cannot see in the vehicle, they cannot tell if the driver, or somebody else inside, has a weapon. They also can't see who is driving the car - it could be a child or disqualified driver, and that's obviously something the police need to be aware of."

It can also invalidate insurance, so if the driver gets in an accident, they may not be covered and therefore can't claim anything.

From Feb. 8 to March 9, the checks will be done from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the parking lot by the MoD Police and 100th Security Forces Squadron buildings at RAF Mildenhall, and from 12:30 to 2 p.m. outside the 48th Security Forces Squadron headquarters building at RAF Lakenheath.

For more information, call PC Glover at 07771 614281, or Suffolk Police's road policing unit on 01473 613500, and they will arrange for someone to come out and check the window tint.