Fremont To Crack Down On Windshield Tint

Fremont police said drivers in the East Bay should expect more stops for illegal front windshield tint after a May 13 traffic safety operation that produced hundreds of citations across the city. The Fremont Police Department said officers working with agencies from the Alameda County High Impact Traffic Team issued more than 400 citations that day. Of those, 69 were for windshield and window tint violations, according to an official department post on Nextdoor. Police said the added enforcement will continue over the next several weeks as part of a traffic safety push. ### Why is Fremont focusing on windshield tint now? May 13 is the date Fremont police tied to the crackdown. In its Nextdoor post, the department said it had partnered with multiple agencies for a coordinated enforcement operation across Fremont and then said officers would “increase enforcement of front windshield tint violations over the next several weeks.” (nextdoor.com) More than 400 citations came out of that one-day operation. Fremont police listed 214 speeding citations, 60 stop-sign citations and 43 cell phone citations, along with the 69 tint-related violations. The department said its goal was “keeping our streets safe” and said officers begin with education and warnings “whenever possible,” though citations are used when needed. (nextdoor.com) ### What did police say is dangerous about dark front tint? Fremont police said front windshield tint “poses real safety risks on the road.” In the department’s account, dark tint can increase glare and reduce visibility for the driver, making it harder to see pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists. Traffic stops were another point the department raised. (nextdoor.com) Fremont police said heavily tinted front glass can make stops more dangerous because officers cannot clearly see inside the vehicle. The department urged drivers to keep the front windshield clear to protect “you, your passengers, and our community.” ### What does California law allow on a windshield? (nextdoor.com) California Vehicle Code Section 26708 broadly bars drivers from operating a vehicle with material applied to the windshield or other windows if it obstructs or reduces the driver’s clear view. The law also lays out limited exceptions for certain items and materials. Section 26708.5 separately says no one may apply transparent material to a windshield or other windows if the material alters color or reduces light transmittance, except where Section 26708 allows it. (nextdoor.com) A commonly cited exception in Section 26708 permits clear, colorless and transparent material on windows if listed conditions are met. Medical exemptions also exist in California law. (codes.findlaw.com) Section 26708 allows removable sun-screening devices on the front side windows for a driver or front-seat passenger who carries documentation from a licensed physician or optometrist, and Section 26708.2 sets requirements for those devices. ### Does this apply only to the windshield, or to side windows too? The Fremont enforcement message singled out front windshield tint, but the May 13 citation totals covered both windshield and window tint violations. (codes.findlaw.com) The department did not break out how many of the 69 citations involved the windshield alone. California law treats different windows differently. (codes.findlaw.com) Section 26708 includes exemptions for side windows to the rear of the driver and for rear windows in vehicles equipped with mirrors on both sides that provide a rearward view of at least 200 feet. ### What should drivers in Fremont do next? Fremont police directed residents to review compliance information before they are stopped. (nextdoor.com) The department’s website includes a “Find info on law enforcement topics” page with traffic citation and California Vehicle Code resources, though the tint announcement itself appeared on the department’s official Nextdoor account. The next step is straightforward: over the next several weeks, Fremont officers will increase enforcement of front windshield tint violations, police said on May 13. (codes.findlaw.com) Drivers who want to avoid a citation will need to make sure any material on the windshield complies with California Vehicle Code Sections 26708 and 26708.5 before those patrols continue. (nextdoor.com) (fremontpolice.gov)