Police to fine B.C. drivers tinting windows to avoid cell phone tickets

White Rock RCMP Const. Janelle Shoihet said that police have noticed an increase in tinted front side vehicle windows, which are illegal, since the cell phone driving ban was announced last year in 2009.

“We’ve noticed there are quite a few people with tinted windows,” she said.

“I don’t know if there’s been an increase but we’re looking inside vehicles more [looking for illegal cell phone use] and we have noticed there seems to be a greater prevalence,” Shoihet said.

Changes to the Motor Vehicle Act, introduced by government last fall, took effect Jan. 1, allowing drivers to only use hands-free cell phones and devices that require one touch to activate.

Starting Feb. 1, a driver caught talking on a hand-held phone or electronic device will be subject to a fine of $167.

Drivers caught texting or emailing, while the car is moving, also will be subject to three penalty points.

Shoihet said that police now are noticing more drivers have their front windows tinted, which can result in a $109 fine. If drivers don’t remove the tinting and are caught a second time, they will be fined $598, she said.

She said police usually issue a warning, giving the motorist two weeks to comply by removing the tint.

But if caught a second time, they will received a ticket for failing to comply,

Windows behind the driver may be tinted, including the rear window, the officer said.

But it is illegal to tint front side windows, Shoihet said, because the driver needs to make eye contact with other drivers and pedestrians, and also police need to see inside a vehicle for safety reasons.

Kristyn Christiansen of the Tint Centre in Vancouver said he tells people who want their front side windows tinted that it’s against the law, but sometimes people request a light tint to block UV rays.

“It’s against the law so I try to steer them away from that direction,” he said, adding he hasn’t seen an increase in requests for front tinted windows since the new cell phone driving ban was implemented in B.C.

“I think it’s a good law,” he said of the cell phone ban, adding he uses a hands-free cell while driving.