S.I. 2025 No. 81: Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles) (Windscreens and Windows) Regulations, 2025.
29th August, 2025
S.I. 2025 No. 81
Road Traffic Act
CAP. 295
ROAD TRAFFIC (MOTOR VEHICLES) (WINDSCREENS AND
WINDOWS) REGULATIONS, 2025
The Minister, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 121A and 124 of the Road Traffic Act, makes the following Regulations:
- These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles) (Windscreens and Windows) Regulations, 2025.
2.(1) In these Regulations,
“approved visible light transmission measurement device” means a device approved by the Chief Licensing Officer pursuant to regulation 7(1)(a);
“glass” includes polycarbonate and any other product used in the manufacture of windows and windscreens for motor vehicles;
“material” means any overlay, film, coating, spray, sticker or other adhesive product, vinyl or paint capable of being applied, affixed or fitted to a windscreen or window of a motor vehicle, other than a glazing or coating added during the manufacture of the vehicle;
“relevant medical condition” includes
(a)
albinism;
(b)
chronic actinic dermatitis/actinic reticuloid;
(c)
dermatomyositis;
(d)
lupus erythematosus;
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(e)
porphyria;
(f)
xeroderma pigmentosum;
(g)
severe drug photosensitivity, where the course of treatment causing the photosensitivity is expected to be of prolonged duration;
(h)
photophobia associated with an ophthalmic or neurological disorder; and
(i)
any other condition or disorder causing severe photosensitivity in which an individual is required for medical reasons to be shielded from the direct rays of the sun;
“specialist” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 of the Medical Profession Act, 2011 (Act 2011-1);
“visible light transmission” means the proportion of visible light which
(a)
passes through the glass of a windscreen or window and any material applied, affixed or fitted to the glass; and
(b)
is expressed as a percentage of the total amount of light falling on the glass and the material applied, affixed or fitted to the glass;
“window” means a panel of a vehicle, other than a windscreen, that is
(a) primarily made of glass; and
(b)
designed to allow a person in the vehicle to view outside the vehicle; “windscreen” means a panel of a vehicle that
(a)
extends across the front or rear of the vehicle;
(b)
is primarily made of glass; and
(c)
is designed to allow a person in the vehicle to view outside the vehicle through the front or rear of the vehicle.
(2)
Section 121A of the Act applies to these Regulations.
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- The windscreens and windows on the exterior of a motor vehicle shall be made of safety glass.
- An efficient windscreen wiper shall be fitted to every motor vehicle and so constructed that the driver is afforded an adequate view to the front of the vehicle by looking through the windscreen.
5.(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (5), the visible light transmission in respect of the windscreens and windows of a motor vehicle shall not be less than
(a)
70%, in the case of the front windscreen;
(b)
20%, in the case of the rear windscreen;
(c)
25%, in the case of any window situated on either side and forward of the vertical plane immediately behind the driver’s seatback in its rearmost and upright position; and
(d)
20%, in the case of any other window.
(2)
Where there is a visor on the front windscreen of a motor vehicle
(a)
the visor shall not extend downwards from the top of the windscreen further than
(i)
6 inches, where the windscreen is less than 3 feet in height; and
(ii)
10 inches, where the windscreen equals or exceeds 3 feet in height; and
(b)
the visible light transmission in respect of the visor shall not be less than 25%.
(3)
No windscreen or window of a motor vehicle shall have applied, affixed or fitted to it any material that has the effect of
(a) reducing the visible light transmission of the windscreen or window to a percentage below that specified in paragraph (1) or (2); or
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(b) making the windscreen or window appear metallic or reflective.
(4)
The windscreens and windows of a motor vehicle, and any material applied, affixed or fitted to the windscreens and windows, shall not have any scratch, discolouration, bubbling or other defect that unreasonably
(a)
impairs the vision of the driver through the windscreens or windows; or
(b)
compromises the strength of the windscreens or windows.
(5)
Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to
(a)
a motor vehicle used by
(i)
the President of Barbados;
(ii)
the Barbados Defence Force;
(iii) the Barbados Police Service; or
(iv) the Barbados Prison Service;
(b)
an ambulance;
(c)
a motor vehicle used for the transportation of human remains;
(d)
a motor vehicle in respect of which the Chief Licensing Officer has granted an exemption from the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) on
(i)
the ground that the vehicle is used by or for the transportation of a person who has, or suffers from, a relevant medical condition, supported in writing by a specialist; and
(ii)
such other ground as the Chief Licensing Officer may determine.
- An application for an exemption pursuant to regulation 5(5)(d) shall be in such form, and supported by such information, as the Chief Licensing
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Officer may determine; and any exemption granted shall be in the form of a letter which shall
(a)
specify the minimum visible light transmission permitted in respect of the vehicle;
(b)
be kept in the motor vehicle for which it was issued;
(c)
be produced for inspection upon request by a member of the Police Service or a Traffic Warden; and
(d)
become void where
(i)
the motor vehicle in respect of which the exemption was granted is sold or otherwise transferred or rendered permanently unserviceable or destroyed; or
(ii)
the person to whom the exemption was granted, in the case of an exemption granted under regulation 5(5)(d)(i), dies.
7.(1) For the purposes of these Regulations,
(a)
the Chief Licensing Officer
(i)
may in writing approve such devices as he considers appropriate for measuring the visible light transmission of windscreens and windows; and
(ii)
shall cause a list of the approved visible light transmission measurement devices to be published in the Official Gazette and by such other means as he may determine; and
(b)
the visible light transmission of a windscreen or window shall be measured by a member of the Police Service or a Traffic Warden using an approved visible light transmission measurement device.
(2) Where the visible light transmission of a windscreen or window is measured in accordance with paragraph (1), a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points shall be allowed in relation to the measurement.
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8.(1) A person who uses, causes or permits to be used on any road a motor vehicle in contravention of these Regulations, or otherwise fails to comply with these Regulations, is guilty of an offence.
(2)
A member of the Police Service or a Traffic Warden may serve on a person who commits an offence under these Regulations, notice in such form as the Minister may approve, offering the person an opportunity to discharge any liability that would arise out of a conviction for the offence by
(a)
the payment of an initial penalty of $500 within 30 days of the date of the notice or such longer period as may be specified in the notice;
(b)
the payment of a further penalty of $10 for every day or part of a day that the contravention of the Regulations continues after the expiration of the period referred to in subparagraph (a), where applicable; and
(c)
the remediation of the contravention within such period as may be specified in the notice.
(3)
A notice referred to in paragraph (2)
(a) shall
(i)
state the offence alleged and such particulars of the offence as are necessary for giving reasonable information of the allegation;
(ii)
specify the initial penalty to be paid and the date by which payment must be made;
(iii) specify the measures to be taken to remedy the contravention of the Regulations and the date by which the measures must be taken;
(iv) state that a further penalty of $10 for every day or part of a day may be imposed where the measures to remedy the contravention are not taken by the date specified;
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(v)
specify the magistrate’s court to the clerk of which the penalty must be paid; and
(vi)
specify the period during which, by virtue of paragraph (5), proceedings may not be taken for the offence; and
(b) may be served personally on the person in charge of the vehicle, if he is present, or, if he is not present, by affixing it to the vehicle or by electronic means.
(4) Where a person commits an offence under these Regulations but before the expiration of the period specified in a notice issued to him pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) or the commencement of criminal proceedings in respect of the offence specified in the notice, the person
(a)
pays the initial penalty referred to in paragraph (2)(a) and, where applicable, any further penalty imposed pursuant to paragraph (2)(b); and
(b)
remedies the contravention of these Regulations giving rise to the offence,
the person is exempt from any prosecution for the offence.
(5)
Where a person is given a notice pursuant to paragraph (2), no criminal proceedings in respect of the offence specified in the notice shall be taken against him until after the expiration of 30 days from the date of the notice or such longer period as may be specified in the notice.
(6)
Payment of a penalty under this regulation shall be made to the clerk of the magistrate’s court specified in the notice given pursuant to paragraph (2).
(7)
An amount paid pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (4) as a penalty in respect of an offence shall be treated for the purpose of these Regulations as if it were a fine imposed on summary conviction for the offence; and in any proceedings a certificate that payment of the penalty was or was not made to the clerk of the magistrate’s court by the date specified in the certificate is, if the certificate
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purports to be signed by such clerk, prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
9.(1) A notice affixed to a motor vehicle shall not be removed or interfered with except by, or under the authority of
(a)
the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle; or
(b)
the person liable for the offence in question.
(2) A person who, in contravention of paragraph (1), removes a notice from a motor vehicle, is guilty of an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of $100 or to imprisonment for one month.
- Regulation 20 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 1984
(S.I. 1984 No. 141) is amended by deleting paragraphs (6) and (7).
11.(1) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of September, 2025.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), regulation 5(1), (2) and (3) shall not, for a period of 90 days from the date of the coming into operation of these Regulations, apply to any motor vehicle which, at that date, has applied, affixed or fitted to its windscreens or windows any material, which would, but for this paragraph, result in a contravention of regulation 5(1), (2) or (3).
Made by the Minister this 29th day of August, 2025.
S. BRADSHAW
Minister responsible for Transport and Works Printed and Published by
the Barbados Government Printing Department
