Vehicle Glass Tint; The Good, The Bad, and The In-between

We all know modern vehicles usually come default with some level of tint, but this is usually met with some form of friction by authorities the world over due to one reason or the other. However, there are legitimate concerns from car manufacturers as to why they tint the glass in and around their vehicles. And with that said, let’s look at some of the merits and demerits of vehicle glass tint; beginning from the good: 

Protection from UV Rays 

UV (Ultra-Violet) rays are dangerous rays present in sunlight which can penetrate into the vehicle and are harmful to occupants’ skin (and eyes in some cases). Luckily those of us from these parts have been “greatly blessed” with excess melanin which protects our skin from possible damage that could be brought upon by said harmful rays (“Black Man Fit Dey Sufa, But E No Dey Die!”). However, the same can’t be said for others, especially Caucasians – who are predisposed to the malicious effects of prolonged exposure to the sun. 

Protection from Solar Heat 

Anyone who has gone out on super-shinny day under the hot sun, especially when you’re stuck in traffic and there isn’t any AC turned on; plus, it’s humid hot and not dry heat – so you’re just sweating all over… will easily attest to how rough that can make moving around be. These effects can be drastically reduced when you pair the AC (even when it’s on “Low”) with window tint. The vehicle remains cool and the atmosphere within the vehicle is quite comfortable, allowing you to arrive at your destination in a pleasant disposition. 

On the other hand, less heat in the vehicle also means parts within the interior such as the dashboard, steering wheel, seats are better protected from cracks and bumps thereby making them aesthetically pleasing for an extended period of time. Preserving the value of the vehicle up until when you’re ready to sell. You can check out more about damages to a car from excessive sunlight here.

Security and Privacy 

This is paramount and almost always at the centre of concern around vehicular ownership or commuting even. Nobody wants to drive about feeling unsafe, therefore, with some level of concealment – you can be rest assured that your privacy is upped to another level.  

And if you can afford to, it is strongly advised that you also install an extra coat of film to harden the glass and allay yourself from future worries, so it doesn’t break open easily on the first 2 or 3 hits if and when in an unfortunate scenario of being mugged – especially in traffic which is more common these days, or if a person(s) is trying to expropriate your car. Also, tinted glass windows aid in securing one’s possession(s) within the vehicle; after all – potential thieves are less likely to break into a vehicle if they can’t see what is or who is on the inside in the first place.

Other non-functional reasons:

Improved Aesthetics

Yes, this is undoubtedly not as important as the other aforementioned reasons but damn almost any German coupè (the real “baddies”) looks so much better and more expensive as well when it’s all blacked out (down to the wheels) or even when it’s in other colours, but as long it’s fully tinted – it always looks awesome!

VIP Perception

We live in a world where perception matters a great deal and influences how we all relate with one another, moreso in this our immediate environment where driving even a “cheaper” vehicle but with tinted windows gives off some level of importance. And deep down we all wanna feel important, don’t we‽  

Now, on to the bad:

Poses Security Risks

As the saying goes; for every solution – there’s always a new problem(s) to tackle. It’s no news that we’ve been battling intense security challenges for the better part of the last decade and darkened windows though bring some modest benefits such as those stated above, does pose a problem to officials of various Law Enforcement Agencies (of which most are already deficient in training and equipment if we’re being honest) who might not be able to properly detect threats being transported – such as weapons and or explosives, or persons in the case of a kidnapping.

Reduced Visibility at Night

Folks in first world countries have an enormous advantage here because if you reside in the city, everywhere is lit up nicely and you might not necessarily have the problem of reduction in visibility at night. However, in many places around the world such as ours – it might be a bit of a hassle to see properly through the darkened windows. As a matter of fact, I remember one fateful night when I had to repark a neighbour’s car and couldn’t see anything when I looked out back through the rear wind-shield neither could I see reflections on either side mirrors as even people and objects were barely visible when I looked out the window, talk more of reflections on mirrors as it was a very dark shade custom tint. Had to wind down both windows before reversing the car.

Honestly, I can’t imagine driving that vehicle on the express-way with the windows rolled up as it’s quite dangerously handicapping to driving safety and overall effectiveness.

After all has been said and done, the fair verdict is simply that vehicle glass tint solves more problems than it causes and there’s a serious case to be made for having it done. Thanks for reading.

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