Police in Colorado scout vehicles with too dark window tint, issue citations
Boulder police officers are running into a major problem- drivers having their window tint too dark in their vehicles. To fix this issue, the department is increasing patrols to spot these vehicles and even fine drivers.
Boulder Police Officer Steve Coon tells CBS News Colorado First Alert Traffic Tracker Reporter Brian Sherrod if they can't see inside your vehicle, they can pull you over right away. If officers can't see your silhouette, your window tint is way too dark.
According to Colorado's Motor Vehicle Window Tint Law, HB19-1067, motor vehicles registered in Colorado have to transmit at least 70% of light through the windshield and 27% of light through other windows. The bill requires motor vehicles registered outside Colorado but operated in Colorado to transmit at least 20% of light through windows other than the windshield. Boulder police told CBS Colorado the top strip on the front windshield can be tinted but nothing lower than four inches from the top.
Boulder Police officers test the windows with a tint meter and a calibration strip. The tint on your windows can be no more or less than 2% of the 27% or 70% law requirement. The machine reads the numbers after being placed on the windows.
Coon told CBS Colorado that with the upcoming Hands-Free Law that goes into effect next month and for their safety, the tint needs to be lighter.
"The danger for police officers is we can't see out of the vehicle," Coon said. "A lot of times, I try to focus on the tint that is so dark you can't see in it at all. I can't see a silhouette of who's driving so that's dangerous for me because I don't know what's in the car or what's going on in the car when I walk up to the car."
Coon said there are no programs right now that will pay to have your window tint lighter. Drivers will have to visit a tint repair shop to get it completed.
In Colorado, if you are pulled over, this is a misdemeanor traffic offense, with a fine between $500 to $5,000.
