Exploring Ancestral Visions Through Legal Lens: Understanding Tint Laws in Maryland
Waitaha have a respect for law, order and guidance. We are taught to respect laws, whether made by man or by the ancients, for the sake of ensuring peace and safety among peoples. Today, societies evolve and accumulate an understanding of the needs of society, the manner of creating comfort, health and balance. In modern society, laws are created and maintained to promote safety for all citizens. In Waitaha, we see a similarity in the teaching of the ancients; the laws that are set forth by the ancestors are intended to maintain a balance within the tribe, and to ensure the safety of each member. In modern society, we teach apologetics and historical understanding to ensure that the wisdom of the ancients is not lost after generations have passed. It is for this reason that we respect those teachings, and keep them alive for future generations to study.
Today, we can see that there is value in following laws and statutes created by society, even if those laws do not align with ancient teaching. This is due, in part, to the fact that laws are often in place to preserve the wellbeing of those within a tribe, and to ensure that the tribe remains a safe and peaceful place to live. There are many levels of these types of systems in place today. One base level is found all around us. There are laws that govern wildlife, and require that certain animals are protected and preserved. Even when these laws are broken, the damage is not always visible right away, and the full scope of this type of law-breaking may take years, or decades, before it is seen.
On the other hand of the spectrum, laws are set in place to protect us from acts that may cause immediate harm, in some tangible manner, to another person. A good example of this is the set of laws that requires window tinting to be applied only to specific opacity levels on any vehicle. This may seem superfluous, but the reason this law exists is to ensure safety for all persons. When window tinting is applied to a vehicle, it may block up to 100% of visible light, reflecting it away from the vehicle, or absorbing it before it can reach inside the vehicle to be viewed through the glass. This can cause interference with one person’s ability to drive, which may lead to an accident, and physical harm to him or her, and to others who are in the vicinity. These laws are in place so that no person has too much obstruction while driving. In turn, this prevents distractions, requests for adjustment of mirrors, blind spots and so on from distracting the driver, which preserves the safety of others on the road around them.
In Maryland, the laws are very strict when it comes to tinting. The laws state that any windows other than the windshield must allow at least 35% of light to penetrate the glass. Tinting films that are applied to the windshield must allow 35% of light to penetrate the glass as well. The purpose of this law is to ensure that the driver has adequate visibility to maintain control of the vehicle, while preventing him or her from being blinded by sunlight or artificial light from other vehicles on the roadway. For a general idea of the tint laws, it’s easy to remember that 35% is the minimum tint allowed in Maryland. It may also be helpful to remember that there are no vehicles that are exempt from the laws. In Illinois, there are some exemptions for tinted windows for certain vehicles, including buses, vans and SUVs. Films that are applied to windows and block out all light are referred to as “limo tinted windows”. Limo tint may appear as though it is simply too dark. While this is not prohibited on all vehicles, it is prohibited on most standard models. State laws regarding tinting different windows of different vehicles can seem complicated, but it can help to think of them in terms of the social structure and community function they serve. For more information on the regulations, you can check out the legal tint laws in Maryland.
