City police crack down on window tinting
By Lethbridge Herald on November 26, 2025.
Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald
Lethbridge Police Services will be conducting a targeted enforcement project over the next two months on window tinting and is reminding motorists and local auto dealers that tinting the front windshield or front driver and passenger side windows is illegal.
Sgt. Tony Ramotowski with the Traffic Response Unit, said Tuesday that this targeted enforcement project is taking place as a response to an increase in illegal window tinting and two serious pedestrian collisions, one of them fatal, where illegal tinting was a factor.
“We had one pedestrian seriously injured and another one lose their life in collisions that may have been prevented had the offending vehicles not had deeply tinted windows that significantly impaired drivers ability to see the pedestrians crossing,” said Ramotowski.
He said the most recent incident occurred Nov. 8 when a 44-year-old male was struck by an SUV along the 1100 block of Mayor Magrath Drive South. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to Calgary.
“The subject vehicle had illegal tint on both front side windows and a heavily tinted windshield. A collision reconstruction determined the illegal tint significantly impaired the driver’s view. particularly in the darkness of night and was a factor in the crash,” said Ramotowski.
He said a 20-year-old male was charged under the Traffic Safety Act.
“In 2024, following a fatal collision that claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman, a 17-year-old male was also charged with multiple window tint violations,” said Ramotowski.
He said aftermarket tinting on front side windows and front windshield reduces a drivers ability to see pedestrians, cyclists, older vehicles an obstacles. Especially at night or in poor weather conditions.
“Dark tint also reduces the ability of others to see the driver inside, making eye contact and communications with the pedestrians and other motorists more difficult,” said Ramotowski.
Illegal tint also creates safety challenges for emergency responders during traffic stops, as dark tint limits police visibility into a vehicle, making it harder to assess potential threats, identify occupants or observe driver’s movements.
Ramotowski added that some types of window film also alter how glass breaks slow in rescue efforts when rapid extrication is required.
“In limited circumstances, drivers may qualify for a medical exemption to tint front windows, but only specific conditions are eligible, and applications must be submitted and approved by the Government of Alberta,” said Ramotowski.
LPS is advising motorists with illegal tinted windows to have the tint removed and anyone thinking about tinting their front side windows or windshield to reconsider.
“Only rear side windows and windshields can legally be tinted, and reflective or mirror tint is prohibited on all vehicle windows,” said Ramotowski.
He said Lethbridge Police Traffic Response Unit will actively be on a lookout for illegal tint and drivers will be fined.
“Repeat offenders may have their vehicle license plate and registration seized under the Section 66 of the Traffic Safety Act,” said Ramotowski. “Once the tint is removed, the plate will be returned.”
He said businesses installing any illegal tint may also face charges and there will be zero tolerance for violations.
Fines range from $81 to $224 and may require a court appearance. Convictions can impact insurance premiums or claim settlements if tint contributed to a collision.
In 2025 LPS has given out 542 tickets for window tint or glazing, in 2024 they handed out 402 tickets, and in 2023 they handed out 217.
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OK, Mr Policeman, this is good. But while you’re checking the tint, also perhaps have a listen to the exhaust. Too many vehicles in Lethbridge with excessively loud exhaust, I shouldn’t have to tolerate it when you are 4 or 5 blocks away! It negatively impacts thousands of people every day. And BTW, have them pass an emissions test after they make it right.
Dang! And I was thinking of tinting my windshield to avoid being blinded by all the vehicles using illegal headlights!
I remember a time where all vehicles had to go through a government check at a facility to get a sticker showing it met government standards: mufflers, proper headlights, tint, good running order,etc., were all part of that process that took about an hour. One facility was at 16th ave and MM Drive south where a Chinese food place has been for years.
Police could easily write 1,000 tickets in a day in this city for tint, illegal license plate covers which make it impossible to read the plate numbers, illegal mufflers, no mudflaps on jacked up pick-ups and tires wider than the truck body with no mudflaps to prevent rocks getting picked-up and hurled at other drivings (how I got one of the chips in my windshield), headlights not adjusted properly (especially on jacked up pick-ups), illegal digital spotlights . . . and that doesn’t include the tailgators and speeders.
I have almost been runover in crosswalks downtown multiple times, literally diving out of the way of one vehicle and in other cases, 3 times the tint was so dark I couldn’t tell if the it was a male or female, long hair or short, caucasion, African Canadian, middle Eastern, Chinese, etc., . . . There are windowshield/window glass and tints that are not dark which do reduce the negative impacts from UV and other rays from the sun on the market today!
So why are they hiding their faces and the license plate numbers?
Wouldn’t it seem logical that if all vehicles had to pass these safety checks, that our insurance rates should go DOWN? Attn Danielle Smith…..
this is a useful pursuit. not only should the driver be visible to police (drinking, toking, using a phone etc), it is essential to road safety that drivers can see through other vehicles.
add to that concern that so many still hold and talk into their phones, text, browse while driving. i do not drive much, but every drive along mayor magrath i see several people doing the distracted driving thing; if this was much enforced anymore there would be someone pulled over almost always.
straight pipes are too typical, as are burnt lights, as are stupidly bright light;, less common but noticeable are licence plates that are heavily covered and/or faded as to not be clear to the naked eye…not sure why those seem to be overlooked.
police have a lot to look after, but we had a sheriff division that was to help enforce road safety; they now seem to be everything but.
good luck with the window tinting action – will the fines come with an enforced follow up that the tint has been removed?
Big problem with the tint is that when a police officer approaches the vehicle, they can’t see if the occupant is pointing a gun at them.
Making your windows so dark you can’t see in or out , what could possibly go wrong ?