Pennsylvania RADAR-Detector Law (windshield reg.)

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes
75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4524

§ 4524. Windshield obstructions and wipers.

4524. Windshield obstructions and wipers.

    (a)  Obstruction on front windshield.--No person shall drive
     any motor vehicle with any sign, poster or other nontransparent
     material upon the front windshield which materially obstructs,
     obscures or impairs the driver's clear view of the highway or
     any intersecting highway except an inspection certificate,
     sticker identification sign on a mass transit vehicle or other
     officially required sticker and no person shall drive any motor
     vehicle with any ice or snow on the front windshield which
     materially obstructs, obscures or impairs the driver's clear
     view of the highway or any intersecting highway.
        (b)  Obstruction on side and rear windows.--No person shall
     drive a motor vehicle with any sign, poster or other
     nontransparent material, including ice or snow, upon the side
     wings or side or rear windows of the vehicle which materially
     obstructs, obscures or impairs the driver's clear view of the
     highway or any intersecting highway. The placement of a
     registration permit upon the side or rear window of a vehicle
     shall not be considered a material obstruction.
        (c)  Other obstruction.--No person shall drive any motor
     vehicle with any object or material hung from the inside
     rearview mirror or otherwise hung, placed or attached in such a
     position as to materially obstruct, obscure or impair the
     driver's vision through the front windshield or any manner as to
     constitute a safety hazard.
        (d)  Windshield wiper systems.--The windshield on every motor
     vehicle other than a motorcycle or special mobile equipment
     shall be equipped with a wiper system capable of cleaning rain,
     snow or other moisture from the windshield, and so constructed
     as to be controlled or operated by the driver of the vehicle.
        (e)  Sun screening and other materials prohibited.--
            (1)  No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sun
        screening device or other material which does not permit a
        person to see or view the inside of the vehicle through the
        windshield, side wing or side window of the vehicle.
            (2)  This subsection does not apply to:
                (i)  A vehicle which is equipped with tinted windows
            of the type and specification that were installed by the
            manufacturer of the vehicle or to any hearse, ambulance,
            government vehicle or any other vehicle for which a
            currently valid certificate of exemption has been issued
            in accordance with regulations adopted by the department.
                (ii)  A vehicle which is equipped with tinted
            windows, sun screening devices or other materials which
            comply with all applicable Federal regulations and for
            which a currently valid certificate of exemption for
            medical reasons has been issued in accordance with
            regulations adopted by the department.
            (3)  A certificate of exemption shall be issued by the
        department for a vehicle which is:
                (i)  Registered in this Commonwealth on the effective
            date of this subsection and is equipped with a sun
            screening device or other material prohibited under
            paragraph (1) on the effective date.
                (ii)  Equipped with tinted windows, sun screening
            devices or other materials for a physical condition that
            makes it necessary to equip the motor vehicle with sun
            screening material which would be of a light
            transmittance or luminous reflectance in violation of
            this section.
                    (A)  A certificate of exemption for medical
                reasons shall be issued only if the owner or
                registrant of the vehicle, or a person residing in
                the household of the owner or registrant who
                regularly drives or is driven in the vehicle, suffers
                from a physical condition determined by the
                department, in consultation with the Medical Advisory
                Board, to justify the exemption.
                    (B)  Any person requesting an exemption for
                medical reasons shall have his physical condition
                certified to the department by a licensed physician
                or optometrist.
            (4)  A certificate of exemption issued under this
        subsection shall be carried in the vehicle and displayed on
        request of a police officer.
            (5)  Upon the sale or transfer of the vehicle to any
        person who does not qualify under paragraph (2)(ii), the
        exemption shall be null and void. Prior to the sale or
        transfer of an exempt vehicle, it shall be the sole
        responsibility of the owner or seller of a formerly exempt
        vehicle to remove all sun screening or other materials from
        the vehicle. At the time of the sale or transfer of a
        formerly exempt vehicle, the owner shall remove and destroy
        the certificate of exemption for physical reasons and provide
        the purchaser with a notarized statement setting forth the
        name and address of the owner or seller, the vehicle
        identification number, year and model, and the business
        entity and process used to remove the sun screening or other
        material.
        (f)  Exception.--This section does not apply to mobile video
     recording equipment installed in a vehicle exclusively used for
     official police purposes.
     (Feb. 15, 1980, P.L.12, No.8, eff. imd.; Dec. 8, 1982, P.L.842,
     No.234, eff. Apr. 1, 1983; July 10, 1984, P.L.679, No.146, eff.
     60 days; Nov. 21, 1990, P.L.556, No.137, eff. 180 days; June 22,
     2001, P.L.559, No.37, eff. 60 days; June 11, 2002, P.L.370,
     No.53, eff. imd.)

       2002 Amendment.  Act 53 added subsec. (f). Section 3 of Act
     53 provided that subsec. (f) shall apply upon the enactment of a
     statute providing for the intercepting and recording of oral
     communications under 18 Pa.C.S. § 5704. Act 52 of 2002,
     effective June 11, 2002, added provisions relating to the
     intercepting and recording of oral communications under 18
     Pa.C.S. § 5704.
        2001 Amendment.  Act 37 amended subsec. (b).
        1990 Amendment.  Act 137 amended subsec. (e).
        Cross References.  Section 4524 is referred to in section
     8117 of Title 74 (Transportation).
     


Retranscribed by: Todd L. Sherman/KB4MHH
Last updated: May 11, 2012.

Mobile Scanner & RADAR-Detector Laws In The U.S.
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