Fremont Police Crack Down On Windshield Tint

Fremont police said on May 14 that officers will step up enforcement of illegal front windshield tint over the next several weeks after a citywide traffic operation produced dozens of tint-related citations. The department said the May 13 operation was carried out with multiple agencies from the Alameda County High Impact Traffic Team. More than 400 citations were issued in total, including 69 for windshield and window tint violations, according to an official Fremont Police Department post. Patch first highlighted the planned crackdown in a local report published this week. ### Why are Fremont officers focusing on windshield tint now? The May 13 enforcement operation gave Fremont police a recent count of tint-related stops. The department said officers issued 69 citations for windshield and window tint violations during the coordinated traffic safety effort across Fremont. That result came alongside 214 speeding citations, 60 stop-sign citations and 43 cell-phone citations. (nextdoor.com) Fremont police said the next phase will focus specifically on front windshield tint. In its post, the department said officers “will also increase enforcement of front windshield tint violations over the next several weeks.” ### What safety concerns did police cite? Fremont police said front windshield tint “poses real safety risks on the road.” The department said tint can increase glare and reduce visibility, making it harder for drivers to see pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists. (nextdoor.com) Police also said dark front glass can increase danger during traffic stops because officers cannot clearly see inside a vehicle. Patch’s report echoed those points and said the department framed the issue as a traffic-safety measure rather than a one-day enforcement push. The article said drivers with noncompliant tint could face citations as enforcement expands citywide. ### What does California law say about windshield tint? California Vehicle Code Section 26708 bars a person from driving with material “placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied” on the windshield or side or rear windows, and separately bars material that obstructs or reduces the driver’s clear view through the windshield or side windows. (nextdoor.com) The law includes several exceptions, including rearview mirrors, certain small stickers in defined corners of the windshield, some rear windows, and limited medical exemptions for qualifying sun-screening devices on front side windows. (patch.com) The statute also says a driver with a qualifying medical or visual condition must carry documentation signed by a licensed physician, surgeon or optometrist for certain front-side-window sun-screening devices, and those devices cannot be used during darkness. The text surfaced in public-law and legislative listings reviewed for this article. ### Was this announced in a formal police release? (california.public.law) Fremont Police’s main news page did not show a separate press release about windshield tint as of May 19. The department’s public “News List” included other traffic-safety announcements in April and May, but the tint enforcement notice appeared in an official Nextdoor post from the department’s public information officer. (california.public.law) The official Nextdoor account identified the post as coming from Fremont Police Department in Fremont, California. The post said the department’s goal in the May 13 operation was “keeping our streets safe” and that officers begin with education and warnings whenever possible, though citations are issued when needed. ### What should drivers watch for next? (fremontpolice.gov) The next concrete step is more enforcement over the coming weeks. Fremont police said officers will increase front windshield tint enforcement citywide, and drivers seeking department information can use the agency’s public website or call the department at 510-790-6800, according to the official post. (nextdoor.com)