Woman Tints Her Windshield. Then She Gets Pulled Over. Then She Finds A Little-Known Workaround: 'Why On Earth?'

Tinting your car windows can be a great way to fight off the summer heat. Most people only tint the side and rear windows, but one Texas woman decided to take an extra step to reduce the greenhouse effect by tinting her windshield as well.

Just a week after tinting the windshield, she got pulled over for the purportedly illegal windshield tint.

In a TikTok with over 1.1 million views as of this writing, Sierra Graham (@sierragraham_7) revealed what she did next to avoid getting pulled over again. She pulled the tint off by hand.

“Truck hits 100K miles, check engine light comes on, almost overheats, gets pulled over for ‘illegal’ tint I got a week ago,” the onscreen text reads.

In a conversation with Motor1, Graham shared her plans for what’s next. 

Graham told Motor1, “I had 5% all around and 35% on the windshield. It was a warning, no ticket! I had them installed a week prior in Arizona on vacation by someone I found on Facebook Marketplace. I have since got a new car and will 100% be tinting again. My husband has an exemption for his eyesight to be able to have dark tint. But when pulled over he was told it was null and void due to changes in the system.”

‘Why On Earth Did You Tint The Windshield’

Tinting your windshield is illegal in most states, though the specific laws vary regarding how many inches of tint are allowed. Generally speaking, drivers are allowed to tint their windshields between 4” and 6” from the top of the glass.

People who watched her post wasted no time reminding Graham about this. 

“It's illegal to tint your whole windshield... you can only tint the top 4 to 6 inches of it,” one commenter shared. 

“You never tint the windshield,” another added. 

“Front windshield is a big no-no,” a third chided. 

“Why on earth did you tint the windshield lol,” yet another naysayer wrote. 

However, others suggested a potential workaround to this law.

“Get a medical permit. I have one for migraines and can legally have my front windows and entire windshield tinted,” one suggested. 

“Idk about your state but I got a ‘prescription’ from my neurologist (migraines from a previous stroke) so I can have 5% tint and full windshield. Nothing the law can do,” said another. 

Noticing that Graham wore glasses, someone else suggested getting the doctor's note. 

“Girl are those real glasses? If so you can easily get a letter from your eye doctor to have the tint,” they wrote

“Go to a doctor for the tint and get a note saying it's medically required to have the tint,” another agreed.

“That’s what my husband has, but the cop said they changed the law and he needs a certificate or some bs lol,” Sierra replied.

Can You Get A Permit To Tint Your Windshield?

You can legally get your windshield tinted if you have a medical exception. This exception is intended for drivers with certain conditions.

According to RVinyl, driving with window tint can help protect drivers from sun exposure. This is especially true with those with conditions that make UV exposure more harmful.

People diagnosed with melanoma, skin cancer, or other skin conditions can still be impacted by UV rays even through the windshield glass. Additionally, anyone with Cockayne syndrome, Bloom syndrome, solar urticaria, erythropoietic protoporphyria, albinism, xeroderma pigmentosum, and drug-induced photosensitivity may qualify for this medical exception.

In order to get a medical exception for windshield-tinted windows, you need to get proper authorization from an ophthalmologist or physician.

Once a signed physician's statement has been collected, you must submit an application to the local DMV. Each state’s requirements vary, so first consult your Department of Motor Vehicles.

Upon approval, you’ll receive a certificate that you must provide to the window tinter and keep in your vehicle in case you, like Graham, get pulled over.