Tinted Windows: A Year-Round Safety Concern

Tinted windows might seem like a summertime topic—a way to keep cars cooler and reduce glare—but they’re a year-round issue. My experience walking my children to school today and a similar, far more alarming encounter last summer underscore why this conversation matters every season.

This morning, as my children and I approached a crosswalk, I tried to make eye contact with an approaching driver. Usually, this simple act confirms that a driver has seen you and is prepared to stop. But today, I couldn’t see the driver at all. The vehicle’s windows were so heavily tinted that the interior was completely obscured. While the driver did stop appropriately, I had no way of knowing whether they saw us or were just lucky enough to avoid running us down.

How long do you wait to confirm they saw you? Do you just go for it and hope for the best? Do you wait until there are no cars at all? I’m overly cautious because I’ve nearly been hit in intersections a number of times in the past—almost always by drivers in vehicles with heavily tinted windows, and once by a driver who was so glued to their phone they probably thought the crosswalk was a Wi-Fi hotspot.

This reminded me of an even scarier incident last summer. My children and I were crossing a street at a marked crosswalk when a vehicle with heavily tinted windows approached and stopped. Since we couldn’t see the driver, we assumed they saw us and trusted the significant wait as a signal to proceed. Something that would’ve been much simpler if I could’ve seen them nod, wave, or even smile. Instead, as we were halfway through the intersection almost at their bumper, the vehicle suddenly started moving.

Cue the “police voice”—I yelled loud enough to stop the driver in their tracks. Thankfully, it worked. But had I not been loud or quick enough, the situation could have ended tragically. Was the driver distracted? Were they on their phone, oblivious to us, only waiting to send a message to mom? Or did they simply not see us through their dark tint? I’ll never know, because I couldn’t see them. What I do know is that tinted windows prevented me from communicating non-verbally with the driver, turning what should have been a simple, safe crossing into a terrifying game of chance. And I don’t gamble, especially when my kids are involved.

Challenging Common Justifications for Tinted Windows

People often defend their use of tinted windows with various justifications. While some have a grain of truth, they rarely hold up when weighed against the safety risks. Let’s break down the most common ones:

1. “I need tint to keep my valuables safe.”

It’s true that leaving valuables visible in your vehicle invites theft—but dark tint isn’t the solution. In fact, it might do the opposite by attracting attention. A heavily tinted car suggests you’re hiding something worth protecting, piquing the interest of would-be thieves. A better approach? Don’t leave valuables in your car, or store them in the trunk where they’re completely out of sight.

2. “Tinted windows look cool.”

Sure, they might. But you know what’s cooler? Not endangering pedestrians or getting a ticket for illegal tint. Want style without sacrificing safety? Wear sunglasses—they’re cheaper, safer, and can be taken with you wherever you go.

3. “I need tint for privacy.”

While some people like the idea of privacy, it’s worth remembering that vehicles aren’t private spaces under the law. There’s no reasonable expectation of privacy in a car—police need to see inside to ensure public safety and to make sure you’re off the phone and wearing your seatbelt. Plus, is privacy really worth making roads less safe for everyone else?

4. “It protects me from UV rays.”

This is partially true—tint can block harmful UV rays. But most modern vehicles already come with UV protection in their glass, and you can always add a clear UV film that doesn’t block visible light. If UV exposure is a concern, there are safer options than dark tint.

5. “Sunglasses are too expensive.”

This one’s a stretch. Affordable sunglasses, even from a dollar store, can provide UV protection. Prescription sunglasses are pricier, but they’re still far cheaper than paying multiple fines or having your car deemed unsafe.

But the risks go beyond theft or style—especially when winter darkness makes visibility even more critical.

Winter Visibility Issues

Winter visibility issues go beyond making eye contact; they’re about a driver’s overall ability to see—and tinted windows make an already challenging situation worse.

Winter brings shorter days, longer nights, and darker commutes—factors that significantly impact road safety. When daylight saving time ends and we “fall back,” drivers and pedestrians are suddenly adjusting to reduced visibility during peak travel hours. This abrupt change, combined with the already limited daylight hours in winter, is a well-documented contributor to increased collisions. According to studies published by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), the shift in daylight patterns disrupts our routines and can make navigating roads more dangerous.

How Tinted Windows Make It Worse

During the winter months, visibility is already compromised by darkness, cloudy weather, and snow glare. Tinted windows only compound these issues, further reducing the amount of light entering a vehicle. This means drivers with dark tint may struggle even more to see pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles—especially in poorly lit areas.

For pedestrians, the problem is equally troubling. Shorter days mean more people are walking or biking in dim or dark conditions. Eye contact with drivers becomes critical to ensure safe crossings. But when vehicle windows are heavily tinted, pedestrians can’t rely on non-verbal communication to confirm that a driver has seen them. It’s a dangerous guessing game that no one should have to play—especially in winter.

The Science Behind Visibility and Aging Eyes: Why It Gets Harder as We Age

Visibility isn’t just a matter of personal preference—it’s a matter of physics and biology. Science tells us that our eyes’ ability to process light diminishes as we age, and no amount of tinted windows or sunglasses can change that:

1. Reduced Pupil Size

As we age, the muscles controlling our pupils weaken. This reduces the pupil’s ability to dilate, which limits the amount of light entering the eye. It’s like having built-in window tint on your eyeballs—and that’s not a feature anyone asked for.

2. Lens Density

Over time, the eye’s lens becomes denser and less transparent, further reducing light transmission to the retina. This loss of contrast sensitivity makes it harder to distinguish objects, especially in low-light conditions.

3. Increased Light Requirements

By age 40, people need about twice as much light to see in the dark as they did at 20. By 60, that requirement triples. This explains why older drivers often struggle more with visibility at night or in dim conditions—and why adding tint only worsens the problem.

Why Aren’t Police Cracking Down on Tinted Windows?

Is tint enforcement the number one priority for police officers on the road today? Unfortunately, it can’t be. Police prioritize their enforcement efforts on what are known as the “Big Four”, Speeding, Aggressive driving, Distracted driving and Impaired driving.

Tinted windows are a widespread issue on many vehicles, but if an officer is focused on spotting speeding drivers, they’re less likely to notice the tint until the vehicle is already stopped. This means the vast majority of vehicles with illegal and unsafe tint fly under the radar.

This often gives people a false sense of acceptance, as though police are willfully ignoring the problem. That’s simply not true. The reality is that there aren’t enough officers to adequately enforce the Big Four, let alone address secondary issues like window tinting with the same frequency.

The Myth of “Better” Tints

One argument I often hear is that high-quality or ceramic tints are somehow safer because they’re more optically correct and provide better clarity than cheaper alternatives. While it’s true that better-quality tints can improve visibility compared to low-quality ones, they don’t change the fundamental issue: if light is restricted, light is restricted.

This is why mechanics in Ontario are required to ensure that a vehicle’s window tint complies with legal standards before certifying it as roadworthy. If you add dark tint after the certification process, you’re effectively making your vehicle unsafe, and it’s no longer legal. The law doesn’t care how expensive or advanced the tint is—it cares about whether it obstructs light and visibility.

The Bottom Line

Tinted windows might look sleek, but they come with significant safety risks and legal repercussions. Whether it’s ceramic tint, a bargain-basement alternative, or anything in between, reducing the amount of light entering your vehicle increases the risk for you, pedestrians, and other drivers. No tint can override the laws of physics—or the laws of Ontario.

If you’re still on the fence about your dark-tinted windows, ask yourself this: Is your desire to look cool or stay private worth risking someone else’s safety?

By rethinking our approach to tinted windows, we can take a small but meaningful step toward safer roads—and maybe even save a life in the process. And hey, you might just get comfortable with the occasional curious glance—it’s a small price to pay for making the roads safer for everyone.