Any Statistics On Accidents Caused By Tinted Windscreens ?

[lookingeast]

Yep - somehow managed to acquire a Honda Jazz in a hurry, and didn't notice it had Tints until later - after dark they are LETHAL - especially with the large number of Thais (and some farangs) who think it is sane to ride or drive around with no lights at all. At junctions or U-turns i often get the side-windows down so i can see what's going on out there ! - which means mossies saying Thanks, we're on our way in...

[Blueyonder]

They are not a cause but a contributing factor. The real problem is Thais do not approach hazards or emerge with any form of risk evaluation. I accept that these darkened windows are potentially unsafe but lets not deviate from the real problem - the driver. You will not find any statists which will state a tinted window is to blame for an incident, not credible ones anyway.

[xen]

Hired a car in Chiang Mai last year. It had heavy tinting on the windscreen and we had to stop at every army checkpoint (we did the Pai loop) so they could see who was in the car and yet other vehicles with less tinting just slowed down and drove through. Also we went into the Airport Plaza car-park and i needed to turn the headlights on just to see where i was driving to find a parking spot mid afternoon.

Coincidently there was a post last week about taking a car into Malaysia and there were several comments about entering Malaysia in a Thai vehicle it must have no tinting or minimum tinting or entry was refused.

[SiamKitt]

Please do not forget Thailand made it illegal to drive & use hand-held mobile phones..so that meant darker tint needed on the vehicles so the MIB cannot see them chatting & texting, or watching a Thai soap on the dash-TV.

So-so many times I see in Hua-Hin at weekends the BKK Hi-So women in their Jazz ,March, Mini etc. making a turn at a main junction using bottom gear & the window wound down cos they can see f/a..& this is accepted!

(Now add to this what has been said here on previous posts regarding failing eyesight & it all becomes a bit messy).

[asupeartea]

2.3. Discussion

The elderly exhibited longer mean ITs.

speed of processing decreases with increasing age.

Under optimal viewing conditions ... did not signifcantly affect

tinting of car windows will not affect driver performance when viewing conditions are optimal

However, under marginal viewing conditions ... decreased from 63 to 20%

Edited May 7, 2013 by asupeartea

[rene123]

Do you mean there are actually laws that people follow in Thailand? Or, would follow if it were actually a law? How about the standard laws that nobody follows: speeding, tailgating, illegal turns, driving in the oncoming lane, parking anywhere at any time, running red lights, double parking, etc, etc?

[mikebell]

I never understood tinting. If the car is too hot turn on the a/c, if it is too sunny wear sunglasses. Why risk an accident for that.

Had my Jazz tinted as I was forever being pulled over by the Brown Bandits for driving while white.

[Surasak]

Bought a new Honda Civic 18 months ago and it came with 30% tinted windows all round. I think the law states not more than 50% tint but that may have change. As to driving day or night I have no problems but do need sunglasses in daytime, although not too dark.

[asiamaster]

I bought a car without "film" for my wife last year in which my teenage daughter also drives. A year later when we went for renewal of the insurance - the insurance broker actually recommended to put in film in. There apparently have been several cases of women being assaulted because the gangsters could see inside the car. We did get film fitted but only 40%.

It seems to me that most agree with my opening comment, but what i do not understand is why the insurance companies do not do something about it! It would save many lives

[guzzi850m2]

I bought a car without "film" for my wife last year in which my teenage daughter also drives. A year later when we went for renewal of the insurance - the insurance broker actually recommended to put in film in. There apparently have been several cases of women being assaulted because the gangsters could see inside the car. We did get film fitted but only 40%.

We bought a new truck recently and it came with free film, we choose 40% on the front shield and 60% for the rest and my wife like that nobody can look into the truck when she is driving alone.

I find the 60% on the front side windows a bit over the top and are considering having them remade to 40%.

If you drive into a covered parking space in a shopping center and you come in sunshine conditions it's a bit of a shock and I am glad I got auto light "on" so I can see.

The vehicle is also cooler when parked in the sun when compared with my last car that had no tinting.

It is also nice you can look at the girls at a red light without them knowing it , he-he, my wife don't agree on that one

[masuk]

It seems to me that most agree with my opening comment, but what i do not understand is why the insurance companies do not do something about it! It would save many lives I am sure, another thing they do, the Thais is do not service the car, generally, Only if they get around to it.

No service books are filled in, just a tag on the steering wheel. my GF's kids both have new Hondas, one has done 42000Km, never had an oil change, the other 32000Km same. The modern engines of today it is critical to change oil at least every 15000 with a good detergant oil, I told them this and got no comment. They think they know best, it is only a short time since they were driving Bullock Carts for transport.

No, your premise is wrong: tinting is allowed in the West!!!

I checked the Australian and New Zealand standards for vehicle tinting.

NO TINTING at all is allowed on the windscreen, apart from a narrow band at the top.

Side windows must allow 85% transmission of light.

I understand that this is an international standard.

My car arrived with such heavy tinting, I could not see anything either side of me at night and parking at an underground car park meant the windows had to come down.

It also means that when some fool is texting or chattering on their mobile/cell/handi phone while driving, they can be seen and stopped. It's now an instant $300 fine and demerit points in some states in Australia. In Thailand? who cares?

[Fgis]

So useless discussion.

After all what have been said we still don't know what is commonly acceptable ?

40% windshield and 60% for side windows ?

But I am also sure that saying this is BS because different brands must let more or less light pass at 40% or 60%...

So please tell your brand and your tint percent.

[masuk]

This is a summary of state laws in Australia.

Vehicle Window Tinting and the Law

State Tinting Laws

Safe driving requires the driver to have the best possible vision of the road users. Any reduction in
driver visibility particularly in poor light conditions will lead to a reduction in safety.

Tinted windows may reduce driver vision if not applied accordingly to state and territory regulations.
Therefore it is desirable that the light transmittance of windows on a motor vehicle is not reduced below 35%*.

A tinted or opaque band across the top of the windscreen is permitted providing it is no lower than 10% of the
height of the windscreen & is above the portion of the windscreen swept by the wipers. Tinted film must not be reflective
or mirror like as it can dazzle other drivers by reflecting sunlight or headlight beams.

[bangkockney]

I am talking about the Windsreen! why do you think all manufacturers windscreens have a "Plimsoll" Line on them, this is Design Rules, this is a subject I do know something about! To know it all Pom, be told.

No need to get shirty and insult me.

<deleted> does a nautical term have to do with a car windscreen?

The fact is, there is no set international standard as you claim for the proportion of the windscreen that is permitted to be tinted. This varies across countries.

It may be expressed as a percentage, a set length or indeed some arbitrary measure such as reach of wipers or length of extended sun visor.

Edited May 7, 2013 by bangkockney

[SeaVisionBurma]

Derogatory post removed.

Getting back on topic - I was reading in another thread somewhere that when you cross from Thailand into Malaysia in a car, the Malaysian border authorities use a meter to check the tinting on your windscreen. If it doesn't pass - you get turned back. Seems they take it quite seriously there and actually do something to enforce it.

[IsaanUSA]

I never understood tinting. If the car is too hot turn on the a/c, if it is too sunny wear sunglasses. Why risk an accident for that.

You might want to try some further reading : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_transfer

[DavoTheGun]

I am talking about the Windsreen! why do you think all manufacturers windscreens have a "Plimsoll" Line on them, this is Design Rules, this is a subject I do know something about! To know it all Pom, be told.

No need to get shirty and insult me.

<deleted> does a nautical term have to do with a car windscreen?

The fact is, there is no set international standard as you claim for the proportion of the windscreen that is permitted to be tinted. This varies across countries.

It may be expressed as a percentage, a set length or indeed some arbitrary measure such as reach of wipers or length of extended sun visor.

Read some of the posts, without being shirty!

[DavoTheGun]

I am talking about the Windsreen! why do you think all manufacturers windscreens have a "Plimsoll" Line on them, this is Design Rules, this is a subject I do know something about! To know it all Pom, be told.

No need to get shirty and insult me.

<deleted> does a nautical term have to do with a car windscreen?

The fact is, there is no set international standard as you claim for the proportion of the windscreen that is permitted to be tinted. This varies across countries.

It may be expressed as a percentage, a set length or indeed some arbitrary measure such as reach of wipers or length of extended sun visor.

Also please note my "" re Plimsoll line!

[DavoTheGun]

BangKockney or whatever needs to get with the program!

[transam]

Any folk that put stuff on the front screen below line of sight are daft.

[candypants]

utalkin2me, on 07 May 2013 - 09:34, said:

^As mentioned, the reason the insurance companies don't put up a fuss about this, is there is no way to enforce it. I guess they could visually inspect each vehicle, but then they would lose customers. The way they do it in the US is the insurance would lobby for the law, and they would get it, which was done with seat-belts. There is just no way for them to effectively do any of that here though.

one would think insurers would embrace it.

A claim comes in, one look at the car and the insurer is not liable.

[bangkockney]

BangKockney or whatever needs to get with the program!

Let me make this easy for you since you claim expert knowledge in this field.

Link the international design rule that specifies a fixed proportion of windscreen that can be tinted. In other words, show us where a single, global, uniform figure exists in law.

I won't hold my breath.

[StreetCowboy]

BangKockney or whatever needs to get with the program!

Let me make this easy for you since you claim expert knowledge in this field.

Link the international design rule that specifies a fixed proportion of windscreen that can be tinted. In other words, show us where a single, global, uniform figure exists in law.

I won't hold my breath.

I went to wikipedia, friend of the ignorant and lazy. I am surprised that it was too much effort for you to do it yourself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_film#Regulations_for_automotive_use

Personally, I was surprised that there was not a European standard, given the amount of international motoring there.

SC

EDIT: As pointed out by the poster below, there is in fact a European regulation for safety glass in vehicles which specifies a minimum of 70% Visible Light Transmission after tinting, weathering etc. However, according to ikipedia, many countries have more stringent standards still.

Edited May 9, 2013 by StreetCowboy

[DavoTheGun]

For those that are interested, not in point scoring but some real facts can look up test standard ISO 3538 and regulation ECE R43. the maximum allowable tint is 70%, after tacking into account a dirty windscreen, perhaps some sandblasting and you are already at 70% so add 60% Tint and!

[gawaterman]

Quote:Maybe not wearing eye glasses because it doesn't look 'suay' like head protection, is a bigger cause for concern. Nobody seems to wear glasses in Thailand. Amazing.

Now my brother-in-laws driving is starting to make sense. When I was there on hols earlier this year he was doing the usual Thai thing of passing lines of cars while cars were coming the other way. Now his latest photo on his partners Facebook page shows him wearing glasses, so in all probability he couldnt see the cars coming the other way. Bit scary when you realise his job is driving heavy tip trucks.

I also drove his personal car extensively while there, and it had a very dark tint in the windscreen and I absolutely hated it.

OK in the day but in the end refused to drive it at night

Edited May 9, 2013 by gawaterman

[bangkockney]

BangKockney or whatever needs to get with the program!

Let me make this easy for you since you claim expert knowledge in this field.

Link the international design rule that specifies a fixed proportion of windscreen that can be tinted. In other words, show us where a single, global, uniform figure exists in law.

I won't hold my breath.

I went to wikipedia, friend of the ignorant and lazy. I am surprised that it was too much effort for you to do it yourself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_film#Regulations_for_automotive_use

Personally, I was surprised that there was not a European standard, given the amount of international motoring there.

SC

EDIT: As pointed out by the poster below, there is in fact a European regulation for safety glass in vehicles which specifies a minimum of 70% Visible Light Transmission after tinting, weathering etc. However, according to ikipedia, many countries have more stringent standards still.

You'll notice I've already posted info from that entry in this thread already. If it wasn't too much effort to read yourself etc etc.

There is no mention of a fixed proportion of the windscreen that is allowed to be tinted, set by an international design rule, as Davo has repeatedly claimed.

To make it clear: the OP states:

All windscreens have a mark at the top which is the level you can come down to with tint, this is an International Design Rule.

So far no one has satisfied that claim.

[bangkockney]

For those that are interested, not in point scoring but some real facts can look up test standard ISO 3538 and regulation ECE R43. the maximum allowable tint is 70%, after tacking into account a dirty windscreen, perhaps some sandblasting and you are already at 70% so add 60% Tint and!

It's not about point scoring, but applying critical thinking to the argument you've put forward.

All windscreens have a mark at the top which is the level you can come down to with tint, this is an International Design Rule.

Demonstrate your statement to be true.