A heavily tinted vehicle.
~ Experience support regulating excessive tint ~
PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Natalie Tackling made her position on allowing heavily tinted vehicles clear when asked about the matter during the parliamentary debate on the 2025 budget last week. She said allowing heavily tinted vehicles poses unnecessary risks that far outweigh any potential benefit.
The minister said while statistics provide valuable insights, practical enforcement experience and the precautionary principle strongly support regulating excessive tint as a measure to enhance public safety and road security.
Heavily tinted vehicles reduce driver visibility, particularly at night, increasing the likelihood of accidents and also obstruct visibility for other road users, creating further hazards on the road, the minister noted.
“While only a minority of tinted vehicles may be used in crimes, the concealment they provide facilitates illegal activities such as transporting contraband or evading recognition after a crime, necessitating proactive regulation to minimize these risks,” the Minister told Parliament.
She was at the time responding to questions from National Alliance (NA) Members of Parliament (MPs) Ardwell Irion and Egbert Doran who asked what data is being used to indicate that tint on vehicles will be dangerous. The MPs also wanted to know how many crimes were committed with tinted vehicles versus those without tints as well as how many crimes were committed on scooters and how many were committed without vehicles.
In her response, the minister said the question can also be reversed and asked: What evidence supports allowing excessively tinted windows, given their well-documented risks to road safety and public security?
“Research and law enforcement experience emphasize the risks posed by heavily tinted car windows,” the minister said. “These windows significantly reduce visibility for officers during routine stops, making it harder to identify suspicious activity or verify the driver’s identity. They also conceal potential threats, such as hidden weapons or contraband, which increases the danger for law enforcement during traffic stops.”
She said also that excessive tint complicates traffic enforcement, as officers cannot assess driver behaviour, such as seatbelt use, mobile phone usage, or signs of intoxication, indirectly contributing to a less safe road environment and indicated that it poses broader safety risks for the public.
On the issue of scooters, the minister said these also present unique challenges for law enforcement. “They are frequently associated with crimes such as robberies, purse snatching, and quick getaways due to their manoeuvrability and ease of concealment. While crimes committed without vehicles also occur, transportation-related crimes pose specific enforcement challenges that require targeted measures.”
She made it clear that the Justice Ministry remains focused on reducing risks and enhancing enforceability across all modes of transportation. “Whether addressing scooters, excessively tinted vehicles, or other safety issues, the primary goal is to ensure traffic safety, protect public security, and enable law enforcement to perform their duties effectively,” she told the legislature.
