Parked vehicles with illegally tinted windows in Philadelphia can now be ticketed
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia car owners with illegally tinted windows could be ticketed starting Monday.
At Select Auto Glass Plus in Philadelphia's Port Richmond section, they know the law when it comes to window tint.
But the law is changing in the city.
The new rule will target cars that are parked.
In Pennsylvania, cars can have tint rated up to 70% Visible Light Transmittance - or VLT - in the side windows and rear windshield.
This means vehicle windows must allow 70% of light to pass through.
"That's a very light tint," Fred Rivera, owner of Select Auto Glass Plus. "The Pennsylvania law has always been 70%, but it hasn't been enforced especially in Philadelphia. It's kind of been, 'Hey, if we can see you, you're OK.'"
But now, cars with dark tint can be ticketed, even while parked.
"We are literally just trying to restore order in Philadelphia. One ordinance at a time," said Councilmember Mike Driscoll, (D) 6th District, who co-sponsored the law. "Police officers have enough to do just to pull over for a printed window and it's dangerous."
Councilmember Isaiah Thomas created the "Driving Equality Law" which focuses on reducing the kinds of police stops that disproportionately impact minorities.
RELATED: Parking tickets coming for car owners with illegally tinted windows in Philadelphia
He supports this "new" way of enforcing "tint laws."
"I think we're trying to balance between enforcing laws but simultaneously not violating people's rights," said Thomas, (D) Majority Whip and Councilmember at Large.
But there are still concerns.
"Maybe someone is visiting from New Jersey and they're getting ticketed because their tint is really dark, whereas in New Jersey, that car is totally legal," Thomas added.
Another concern is how Philadelphia Parking Authority will prove a car's tint is "too dark."
"There are meters that we use to measure the VLT. So the concern was are they using accurate meters? Are they calibrated?" Rivera said. "They will have to have a meter that will become evidence of why this vehicle got a ticket."
Tickets for "tint" come with a $100 fine, and both police and the parking authority are able to issue the fines.
For some drivers- it's already proving "too high a price" to pay.
"A lot of customers are calling right now and requesting to have their tint removed," said Rivera.
Councilmember Driscoll said there are medical exceptions. And instead of giving tickets right away, he encourages PPA to do a gradual enforcement.
