NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) — New York is cracking down on illegal tinted windows, if the number of summonses from September is any indication.

Car owners put tints in their windows for several reasons. They can provide more privacy, block out sunlight, reduce heat and glare, or just look cooler.

Some states, specifically in warmer parts of the country, allow for darker tints on more windows of the vehicle to help with the heat. For example, Arizona's Visible Light Transmission (VLT) requirement is just 33% for the frontside windows, and can be as dark as the midnight sky on the rear windows and windshield.

In New York, where heat and sun penetration play less of a role in everyday life, the VLT requirements are much stricter and officers are much more equipped to hand out violation summonses

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