By GIS
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (GIS) – A three-month moratorium on enforcement of new tint laws that take effect on Monday, September 1, has been agreed along with the relaxation of some of the stipulations.
A statement from the ministry of transport and works disclosed that the cabinet in its meeting of Thursday, August 28, took note of the recommendations made during a meeting the previous day of key public and private sector stakeholders, including The Barbados Police Service, the Barbados Licensing Authority and vehicle tint suppliers and installers.
During this meeting of stakeholders, senior officers of The Barbados Police Service provided graphic accounts of crimes, including fatal gun attacks, committed by perpetrators travelling in heavily tinted vehicles. They also explained the extreme risk officers are exposed to when approaching heavily tinted vehicles, even during routine traffic stops.
The stakeholders attending the meeting agreed that while the enforcement of the tint law will not stop crime, it goes a long way in aiding The Barbados Police Service in the execution of their job safely. It was agreed by all that the safety of police officers who work each day to protect us all should be the paramount consideration. They also felt that, since many motorists have been unable to comply with the deadline due to the inability of tint installers to meet the heavy demand, enforcement should be further deferred in order to give motorists additional time to become compliant.
In addition, there has been an amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations by changing the visible light transmission of the rear windscreen from 70 percent to 20 percent. The legislation allows for a margin of error of three percentage points in a tint test.
Public Service Vehicles (PSVs), such as route taxis and minibuses, will be subject to the same tint regulations as other motor vehicles.
People with medical conditions who have applied for exemptions from compliance will be required to provide a letter from a specialist medical doctor.
It should be noted that the installers stressed during the stakeholders meeting that, given the advances in technology, it is now possible to install lighter tints that offer vehicle operators the same level of protection against sunlight intrusion as darker tints of the past.
The ministry will continue to offer free tint testing at various locations, to be announced, for motorists who desire to ascertain their degree of compliance with the new tint regulations.
To view the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles) (Windscreens And Windows) Regulations, 2025, visit https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/download/road-traffic-motor-vehicles-windscreens-windows-regulations/.
