If you drive on the roadways in Arkansas, you have to make sure that your vehicle meets the requirements to do so. This means that your automobile has to be considered safe and in good working condition. One area of the vehicle which this can affect is the windshield. The following are the windshield laws in Arkansas that you must follow to avoid traffic stops and violations.
Windshield requirements
In the state of Arkansas, all vehicles must adhere to the following:
Windshields must be constructed of safety glass, which means that the materials must be either glazed or manufactured in a way that reduces the potential for shattering or flying glass if the windshield is struck or broken. Any vehicle that does not have the proper safety glass installed is not registerable in Arkansas.
All windshields are required to have working windshield wipers that are controlled by the driver. The wipers must be able to remove rain, snow and other moisture that accumulates on the glass.
Chips and cracks
Arkansas does not clearly state the laws concerning chips and cracks in the windshield. However, large cracks or chips can be considered under laws against materials that obstruct the vision of the driver. Additionally, vehicle must comply with federal regulations.
Windshields cannot have any nontransparent material on the front windshield other than stickers or certificates required by law that may obstruct the clear view of the driver.
Cracks or chips that are less than ¾-inch in diameter cannot be closer than 3 inches to another area of damage.
Any crack on the windshield cannot be intersected by any additional cracks.
There cannot be any damage in the area that extends from the top of the steering wheel to the top edge of the windshield.
Window tint
While window tinting is permitted under Arkansas law, there are requirements that drivers must follow.
The only tint permitted on the windshield is non-reflective material that does not extend below the top five inches of the glass.
Mirrored or reflective tint is not permitted on the windshield or any other glass in the vehicle.
All vehicles that have aftermarket tint must have a sticker on the driver’s side window that is attached by the company that installed the tint. This sticker must include the company’s name and phone number, and must certify that the tint is within the legal limits of the state.
Violations
The presence of damage or obstructions on the windshield is a citable offense. This means that a ticketing police officer can use his or her best judgement in determining whether windshield damage obstructs the driver’s view, and if so, can issue a violation that will require the driver to pay a fine. This fine is determined by individual counties and varies throughout the state.
If your windshield needs to be inspected or your wipers are not working properly, a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, can help you get back on the road safely and quickly so you are driving within the laws.
