Over-tinted car windows: Offences up by three times

After unapproved exhaust pipes, they are the most common illegal modifications



THINKING of tinting your car windows? Read on, because overdoing the tint could land you a hefty fine - or even a jail term.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) issued 382 summonses last year to motorists with illegally tinted vehicle windows - three times the tally in 2005.

Tinting is allowed, as long as the rear windows allow at least 25 per cent of light to pass through, and the front windows and windscreen allow at least 70 per cent.

The rules are different in Malaysia: There, all windows must let in half the light, while the windscreen must allow in 75 per cent.

The LTA said tinting violations here soared last year mainly because it had stepped up enforcement in response to public feedback.

People make many other illegal modifications to their vehicles, the most common being to the exhaust pipe. Wrong tints on windows are the next most common violation.

All in, LTA acted on 1,430 cases last year, about the same as the 1,416 cases in 2005. Figures in earlier years were as high as twice that.

Although you can replace the tailpipe of your car or motorbike with something snazzy from an accessories shop, it must meet requirements by the LTA and the National Environment Agency.

Other illegal modifications that the LTA has cracked down on pertain to lights - either the fitting of additional lights or unapproved decorative ones.

Even stepping up the wattage of the headlights is not allowed.

All in, about a dozen modifications have been outlawed.

Most motorists know they cannot modify the engine and gearbox, and that the bodykit cannot protrude beyond the bumpers.

But not many people know, for example, that disabling the switch that automatically turns on a motorbike's headlights is illegal. The switch became mandatory in 1997.

Motorcyclist Tim Liu-McIntyre, 38, said this important safety feature makes the motorcyclist more visible to other motorists.

The editor of The Peak magazine said he was riding with his headlights on in the day time even before it became mandatory.

'In bad weather, it'd be suicidal not to,' he said.

Another little-known regulation requires that any car with a chassis deemed 'badly damaged and beyond repair' be scrapped, the LTA said.

Industry observers said motor insurers regularly auction off damaged cars which they deem uneconomical to repair. However, some of these end up being repaired anyway - and sold to unsuspecting buyers.

Mr Lee Nian Tjoe, 29, editor of Torque motoring magazine, said: 'Of all the rules, this one is probably the least enforced.'

Motor trader Vincent Ng, 42, said this was an undesirable practice as the vehicle's crashworthiness would have been compromised.

The product manager of Honda agent Kah Motor said it would be ideal if the residual taxes paid on the damaged vehicle - especially one that is fairly new - could be transferred to a new car.

Those caught making illegal modifications to their vehicles can be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to three months. Repeat offenders face twice the penalty.

If you are not sure what is allowed, call the LTA at 1800-2255-582.