New York auto inspections may soon include check of tinted windows







ALBANY, N.Y. -- If your car's windows are tinted too dark, it might fail its next vehicle inspection because of a bill passed Thursday by the New York State Senate.



The bill, which was passed in May by the state Assembly, would require licensed auto inspection shops to check each year if a vehicle's windows are tinted with any material that lets less than 70 percent of the outside light to pass inside. If the tint is darker, the vehicle would fail its safety inspection.



The legislation now goes to Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign into law or veto.



"Many New Yorkers are violating the law by driving vehicles with tinted windows that exceed current regulations," said Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, who sponsored the Senate bill. "We need to start taking a proactive approach to resolving this problem."



"Improving the safety on our roads is the driving factor behind this bill. Dark tinted glass on cars can inhibit drivers from making necessary eye contact with pedestrians and other drivers. It can also place law enforcement officers in jeopardy when making traffic stops or conducting investigations because they cannot see what activity is occurring in the vehicle," said DeFrancisco.



New York's Vehicle and Traffic Law does not allow motorists to have autos with a tinted windshield or front side windows that block more than 30% of the light. This law also applies to the rear window unless the vehicle has outside rear-view mirrors on both sides.



It is illegal to sell, offer for sale, or install glass that does not comply with this law. It is illegal to operate a vehicle with glass that does not comply with this law, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.