Your Window Tinting Primer
What is window tinting?
According to Kelley Blue Book, window tinting is a process during which a sheet of film is applied to the inside of your vehicle’s windows. This film is transparent, but the thickness of it and the material it’s made of will vary depending on how and why you’re tinting your windows. Different states also have different regulations about what sorts of tinting are legal.
Usually, window tinting is performed to keep heat and radiation levels low in hot and sunny climates; however, tinting solely for aesthetic reasons is becoming more popular. Deeper tints can also help increase privacy and security inside of your vehicle.
Does window tinting reduce visibility?
The short answer? It depends.
Exceptionally dark or thick tints have been shown to hinder a driver’s scope of vision– especially on snowy, cloudy, or rainy days. Any low light environment could pose a potential issue with visibility if your tint is too dark.
It’s difficult to determine exactly how much visibility you’ll lose if you decide to tint your windows; with so many factors at play, the same tint on the same car could have different levels of impact on visibility for different people. The tinting product, color, and darkness that you select will all play into visibility levels.
Window tinting and night driving
Lighting (and lights within your environment) affect everybody differently; some people are more sensitive to glare than others, some couldn’t see in the dark even with all of the tools in the world to help them, some can hardly see during the daytime anyway…
All of that is to say that there’s no silver bullet when it comes to window tinting and night driving. For some people, driving at night with tinted windows is going to be a challenge. If you’re going to be driving somewhere with virtually no light source at night, you’ll likely want to test out some tint options before committing to one.
For some people, window tint can actually improve nighttime driving visibility. If you struggle to deal with glare from headlights or streetlights when you drive at night, some films will actually help soften this light and make it easier for you to see your surroundings.
What is the darkest legal tint in OR?
Oregon residents are legally permitted to apply tinting material to their side and rear windows provided that the film has:
- A light reflectance of 13% or greater
- A light transmittance of 50% or more
- The capacity to create a total light transmittance through the window of 35% or greater
If you have a medical condition that could benefit from tinting, you can also get a letter from your physician or optometrist permitting the use of tinting material with a total light transmittance of under 35%.
If you want to tint a rear portion of a multi-purpose vehicle, there are no restrictions around light transmittance; you have much more freedom to decide on the tint that’s best for you rather than the tint that best abides by the rules.
At Elite Window tinting, we offer tinting services that afford your vehicle solar protection while providing you with privacy and style. The right tint can simultaneously help you elevate your ride’s aesthetic and protect you from harmful UV rays and heat build up.
If you’re in the Milwaukie, OR area, stop by our shop or give us a call today. Our team will be happy to speak to you about your needs and get you a consultation for your window tinting needs. We’re proud to offer a range of XPEL tinting products, which are known for their durability and high performance quality.
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