Fremont Cracks Down On Windshield Tinting

Fremont police said on May 14 that officers would increase enforcement of illegal front windshield tint over the next several weeks after a citywide traffic safety operation produced more than 400 citations. The Fremont Police Department said the May 13 operation, conducted with other agencies, resulted in 214 speeding citations and 69 citations tied to windshield and window tint violations. Police said the effort is aimed at road safety, and warned drivers that dark tint on the front windshield can lead to stops and citations. ### Why is Fremont focusing on windshield tint now? The May 13 enforcement operation gave Fremont police a recent data point: tint violations were the second most common category among the more than 400 citations officers issued that day. Patch, citing the Fremont Police Department, reported that police announced the added tint enforcement on Thursday, May 14. (patch.com) Police said windshield tint “poses real safety risks” because it can increase glare and reduce visibility for drivers. The department also said darker front glass can make traffic stops more dangerous because officers may not be able to clearly see inside a vehicle. ### What does California law allow on a windshield? California Vehicle Code Section 26708.5 says a person may not place or apply transparent material on a windshield or other vehicle windows if it changes color or reduces light transmittance, except as allowed elsewhere in the code. (patch.com) That section points back to narrower exceptions in Section 26708. California law is generally stricter at the front of the vehicle than at the rear. (patch.com) The state code is the controlling rule for Fremont drivers, and the city’s enforcement push does not create a new local tint standard; it increases attention to an existing one, based on the police announcement. ### Does this mean every tinted window is illegal? The Fremont police announcement was specific to front windshield tint, not all tinted glass on a vehicle. (california.public.law) Patch’s report said officers would be “cracking down on drivers with windshield tint on their cars,” and the police messaging highlighted the front windshield as the safety concern. California’s vehicle code allows some exceptions, including certain factory-installed glazing and other limited circumstances described in state law. Drivers who are unsure whether their vehicle complies need to compare the film or glass on the windshield with the state code, rather than assume that all tint products are permitted. ### What happens if a driver is stopped and cited? (patch.com) Fremont Police say traffic citations are handled through Alameda Superior Court. The department’s traffic-citation page says drivers usually receive a courtesy notice from traffic court two to four weeks after the violation date, and then may pay the fine, seek traffic school if eligible, or schedule a court date. (california.public.law) The police department’s website does not list a tint-specific fine on that page. It does say drivers can look up or pay a traffic citation through the court process linked by Fremont police. ### What should Fremont drivers do next? Fremont police said the increased enforcement would continue “over the next several weeks,” which means drivers with dark film on the front windshield face a higher chance of being stopped in the near term. (fremontpolice.gov) The department tied that warning directly to the May 13 operation and its citation totals. Drivers who receive a citation can check the Fremont Police Department’s traffic-citation page for the court process and payment options. Fremont police list the citation process online, and the department’s home page identifies its headquarters at 2000 Stevenson Blvd. in Fremont. (fremontpolice.gov) (patch.com)