Is it illegal to apply smoked film on taillights?
2 Answers
Applying black film to vehicle lights is considered illegal. Vehicle lighting is subject to national standards, and unauthorized modifications such as adding lamp covers or altering lighting components may change the normal illumination or warning effects of the lights, creating safety hazards and potentially leading to rear-end collisions. If a vehicle with tinted lights is involved in a rear-end collision, the front vehicle may also bear some responsibility. Below is relevant information about automotive lighting: Incandescent light source: An incandescent lamp is a thermal radiation light source that emits light by heating a filament to incandescence with electricity, producing a continuous spectrum. Light-emitting diode (LED): The principle of an LED is that in a forward-biased junction diode, electrons from the N-region and holes from the P-region cross the PN junction, recombine, and emit light. Neon light source: The principle of a neon light source involves applying an electric field across the ends of a discharge tube filled with inert gas to produce continuous discharge. During this process, excited inert gas atoms release photons as they return to their ground state. Different inert gases can produce light of different colors.
I've been paying close attention to vehicle safety issues. Applying smoked film on taillights is absolutely illegal, primarily because it significantly reduces light brightness, violating traffic regulations that require taillights to be clearly visible from 50 meters away. Lights that are too dim make it difficult for following vehicles to see your braking or turning signals at night or during rain, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions. I've handled several accident cases where owners applied dark films causing blurred lights, resulting in hefty fines from police and mandatory removal. During annual inspections, vehicles also fail due to non-compliant lighting standards, compromising overall vehicle safety. I recommend choosing compliant light-reflective coatings for aesthetic improvement, but avoid risky film applications to prevent accidents.