Letter to the Editor
There are many vehicles being driven in Farragut in violation of the Tennessee Vehicle Window Light Transmittance Law and the number seems to be growing. The violation of window light transmission places our law enforcement officers at an unnecessarily increased risk since they cannot see the occupants of a vehicle that may be stopped for a violation. In addition to window tint violations, other violations may be in progress such as texting while driving, failure to wear a shoulder harness and hiding the identity of persons being sought by law enforcement. State law requires an information sticker (described below). I looked for the required state stickers on the drivers’ windows and to date have not seen one.
The following information makes reference to current state laws on window tinting and on mandatory information required on tinted window stickers.
Reference (a) 55-9-107. Motor vehicle windows with tinting, reflecting or sun screen material. It is unlawful for any person to operate upon a public highway, street or road, any motor vehicle in which any window that has visible light transmission equal to, but not less than, that specified in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205, codes in 49 CFR 571.205, has been altered or replaced by the affixing, application or installation of any material that:
(a) Has a vehicle light transmission of less than thirty-five percent
(2) Any person who installs window tinting materials in this state for profit, barter or commissions is defined as a professional installer for the purposes of this section, and it is unlawful for a professional installer to apply tinting materials to any motor vehicle so as to cause that motor vehicle to be in violation of the section.
Other requirements are in the law, such as the lower right hand corner of the driver’s window must have a adhesive label that includes the installers business name, and the legend “Complies with Tennessee Code Anointed 55-9-107,” and supply the customer with a signed receipt, which includes information required by the law and shall be kept with vehicle registration documents.
I hope that this letter in the farragutpress makes our residents aware of the Tennessee specifications and documentation requirements for a legal tinted window in their vehicles and will provide an increased level of safety for law enforcement officer performing their duties.
Respectfully
Charles Doty
Farragut
