The Highway Bureau yesterday issued new guidelines governing the installation of car window tinting, recommending that the visible light transmission (VLT) of front windshields be at least 70 percent.
The guidelines are to take effect next year and would initially apply to newly registered vehicles, Highway Bureau Director-General Chen Wen-juei (陳文瑞) said.
New vehicles must also have their tinted car windows certified by accredited testing organizations, he added.
Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times
“We might ask other vehicles to follow the same guidelines,” he said. “We would recommend that drivers install certified car window tints when they need to change them.”
Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) in February listed effective management of installation of car window tinting as one of three key measures to enhance road safety.
The VLT of windows and windshields affects the driver’s vision, recognition and performance, the bureau said.
Based on the guidelines, the VLT of the tint on vehicles’ windshields should be at least 70 percent, while that of front side windows should be at least 40 percent.
The guidelines do not specify recommended VLT percentages for rear side windows and rear windows for privacy protection reasons.
Stricter rules would apply to taxis to prevent crimes, the bureau said.
Aside from having the same VLT percentages as regular vehicles in front side windows and front windshields, taxis should apply window films with at least 40 percent of VLT in both rear side windows and rear windshields, it said.
The Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例) prohibits taxis from applying opaque or reflective films.
Articles 16 and 17 of the act stipulate that taxis that have opaque reflective films on windows and windshields would be fined NT$900 to NT$1,800, Chen Wen-juei said.
The bureau would soon launch an awareness campaign to educate the public about the new guidelines, he said, adding that it would announce the exact date of enforcement later.
Window tint manufacturers have been asked to follow criteria stipulated by Chinese National Standards 12381 and ISO 9050, and must have the VLT of their tint certified, the bureau said.
The bureau and the Vehicle Safety Certification Center jointly reviewed window tinting that meet the recommended VLT percentages, it said, adding that 12 of them are posted on the Web sites of motor vehicle offices.
The number is expected to increase, the bureau said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS