Gentry targets window tint

Drivers will get a grace period before officers start writing tickets.

Sgt. Clay Stewart of the Gentry Police Department demonstrates the use of a tint meter on side window glass last week. State law requires front seat side windows to allow a minimum of 25 percent of the light to pass through. Rear side windows must allow 10 percent of light to pass through. Many windows are tinted too dark and restrict vision to the point of causing a driver not to be able to see other traffic or pedestrians.
Sgt. Clay Stewart of the Gentry Police Department demonstrates the use of a tint meter on side window glass last week. State law requires front seat side windows to allow a minimum of 25 percent of the light to pass through. Rear side windows must allow 10 percent of light to pass through. Many windows are tinted too dark and restrict vision to the point of causing a driver not to be able to see other traffic or pedestrians.

— Police in Gentry will begin checking for window tint violations beginning Jan. 1, but the department plans to give violators a little time to comply with state law because of costs involved to remove tinting that exceeds statutory requirements.

With the purchase of Laser Labs Model 200 Tint Meters and the certification of officers in the use of the new equipment, police will be stopping and checking cars and trucks with windows which appear to be too dark. Not only can officers check window glass on vehicles stopped for other traffic infractions, they can stop vehicles if they have reasonable cause to believe the window tinting is too dark.

According to state law, windshields may not be tinted below 5 inches from the top center. All side windows in the front seating area must allow at least 25 percent light transmission through the glass. Rear windows - the rear window and all side windows in the rear passenger area - must allow a minimumof 10 percent light transmission through the glass.

The only exceptions to the law are police cars, vehicles used to transport dead bodies and special medical circumstances with a certificate by a physician.

The law also prohibits letters or logos larger than 1/4 inch on any windows.

The tint meters use five light-emitting diodes to measure the light transmission capability of glass. After testing the device toensure it is working, police officers place one part of the unit on the inside of the glass and the other part on the outside of the glass. The device measures the light transmitted through the glass with a plus or minus of 2 percentage points.

Gentry Police Chief Keith Smith has said his department will allow people time to correct theviolation because of the expense involved in having tinting removed and reinstalled.

The department may begin issuing citations as early as Feb. 1, according to police sergeant Clay Stewart.

Motorists with tinting on car or truck windows may wish to have them checked for compliance prior to Feb. 1 to avoid the possibility of a notice to appear in court.

See Related article "ARKANSAS TINT LAW" for specifics.

News, Pages 1 on 12/29/2010