UAQ bans tinting in rented cars

Umm Al Quwain - The move is aimed at enhancing security and curbing indecent and illegal practices.

Tinting windows of rented cars has been banned in Umm Al Quwain, according to a top traffic police officer.
Lt-Col Saeed Obaid bin Aran, Director of Traffic and Patrols Department of the UAQ Police Directorate General, said no car rental agency has the licence to tint any of their rented vehicles.
"The move, in line with the vision and strategy of the interior ministry, is aimed at enhancing security and curbing indecent and illegal practices."
Some motorists have reportedly misused their rented vehicles, he added. "Many car windows have been tinted with 50 to 90 per cent film on them."
"The violation of non-permitted car window tinting that exceeded the set limit has seen a rise of 30 per cent in the last three months in different areas across the emirate," he explained.
However, rented cars are not allowed to tint cars at all.
Warning, he said a fine of Dh500 shall be slapped and the vehicle will be impounded for 30 days in case of excessive window tint.
In normal cars, the federal traffic law allows for 30 per cent light brown tinting to side and rear windows only.
Though drivers tend to tint their car windows to reduce glare and control temperature, such a protective procedure has proven to be a safety and security hazard. Therefore, 30 per cent has been set as the maximum car window tinting in the federal traffic law.
However, drivers are not paying heed to this rule and residents in UAQ have urged traffic authorities to strictly enforce the law and even make the penalty harsher.
Ali Rashid, an Emirati in Salma area, said a friend of his met with a serious accident due to excessive car window tint. "The dark windows become darker at night, and that seriously disrupts vision."
Echoing the same, Mohammed Saaed, an Egyptian resident of Al Abraq area, said he saw some young people using drugs in one these over-tinted cars. "I also saw some youth with sex workers late at night in another car with excessive window tinting."
Lt-Col bin Aran, meanwhile, said the department is all set to curb traffic accidents by launching more traffic awareness campaigns in association with the ministry of interior. "Motorists are urged to abide by the set speed limit for road users' safety and theirs."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Umm Al Quwain