7 ways your car attracts unwanted attention from the police
You can drive by the letter of the law. But if your car is breaking the law on your behalf, you might end up on the side of the road looking at red and blue lights in your rearview mirror. Mind these modifications and faults if you want to avoid attracting unnecessary police attention.
Want to fly under the radar and avoid an unnecessary traffic stop with the police? Make sure your car doesn’t ruin things for you
- Illegal window tints
Believe it or not, an illegal window tint is one of the fastest ways to end up on the business end of police lights. Window tint values depend on visual light transmission (VLT), or the amount of light that a surface allows to pass through. The lower the number, the less light it allows to permeate, and the darker the tint.
Window tint regulations also vary from state to state. You might be in compliance in your state, but driving across state lines could land you a ticket. You can check out how your tint stacks up with state regulations here.
- Loud exhaust
Car enthusiasts love loud exhausts. However, an excessively noisy system can land you in trouble with the cops. In some parts of the country, authorities have resorted to using cameras with sound-measuring equipment to monitor and punish loud cars. It’s up to you to know the laws of your state.
- Neon underglow
Have you ever been to a night-time car show? You’ve likely seen cars with neon underglow shining any number of colors under their skirts and bumpers. While it can be quite a sight, it’s also illegal in several states, including Washington, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Illinois.
- Extremely loud stereo systems
Like loud exhaust, a panel-rattling, ear-shattering stereo system could attract the wrong attention. For instance, Florida law permits law enforcement to pull over cars and even issue tickets if they can hear a vehicle’s stereo system from over 25 feet away, per the Tampa Bay Times.
- Inoperative lights
One of the quickest ways to attract unwanted attention from the police is to drive around with inoperative lights. That burned-out headlight, taillight, or turn signal is more than enough cause for law enforcement to stop you and issue a “fix-it ticket” for your faulty lamps.
- Expired license plate tags
There’s no middle ground here. Your tags are either up to date or expired. If you wait for even one day after your registration lapses, you are inviting a law enforcement officer to pull you over and issue you a ticket. Pay attention to your license plate tags and renew them ahead of the expiry date.
- Broken or shattered windshield
A broken windshield is more than a nuisance; it’s a safety concern. If a police officer spots you driving around with a windshield covered in cracks, they can make the argument that your visibility is compromised behind the wheel. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for a small crack to spread across an entire windshield.
