| Updated: 9/27/2012 9:54 am |
Published: 9/26/2012 5:51 pm
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If police officers in Broken Arrow can’t see you through your car's windows, don’t be surprised if you get a ticket.
Broken Arrow police will begin enforcing a new law about window tinting on November 1st. The fine is $200.
The City of Broken Arrow adopted ordinance 23-38 that mirrors state law regarding regulations in the use of window tinting in motor vehicles.
Shane Edmounds is the owner of Tiger Window Tinting in Broken Arrow. Lately, Edmounds says he’s been getting a lot more questions from potential customers.
“Some people are asking if their car is legal,” said Edmound's, “Or when they get their car tinted they want to know if the tint is legal.”
Edmound's told FOX23 he has already had to adjust the window tint shade for a couple of clients to make the tint compliant with the city ordinance.
Both state law and Broken Arrow ordinance mandate vehicles cannot have less than 25% of light transmission on the side and rear windows, as well as no tinting below the upper portion of the windshield.
Broken Arrow Police Sergeant Ed Ferguson said the need for enforcement of the ordinance stems from a safety issue.
“Some people choose to make their windows so dark that they literally have to roll their windows down at night in order to be able to see,” said Sergeant Ferguson.
Broken Arrow Police will be using recently purchased tint meters so that officers can measure the light transmission of window tinting.
Police will only take action on drivers whose vehicles are found to be beyond the lawful amount of window tinting on their vehicles.
“It’s not like we are going to be driving around looking for tinted window but if we see a possible violator we are going to stop them and check it out,” said Sergeant Ferguson.
To give drivers time to comply with the new ordinance Broken Arrow Police say they will not begin active enforcement of this law till November 1st. Drivers can face a fine of $200.00 for violations of this law.