MERIDIAN -- With graduation ceremonies happening all over the area, police want people to know one celebration practice to stay away from: car window paint. They say recent crash examples stand as proof the paint can be distracting and block a driver's clear view of the road.
A motorcycle rider is still in the hospital recovering from a wreck two weeks ago that police say involved a driver with painted windows. While not necessarily the primary cause of the accident, officers believe it may be a contributing factor in the crash.
Driving with painted windows is a non-moving violation, but drivers can be pulled over for it. The violation comes with a $62 ticket, but police say the fine isn't the only potential cost. Other drivers, pedestrians, and bikers could be hurt.
Meridian Police Officer Will Stoy sees a lot of painted car windows around certain times of the year, like homecoming and prom, sports championships, and graduation.
We notice a lot of the kids coming out of the schools have that colored paint all over their side windows and their windshield, Stoy said.
The crash two weeks ago was on Eagle Road and involved a high school aged driver who had a big painted, filled-in heart on her drivers-side window. Police say she was pulling onto Eagle near Cheerleaders when the accident happened.
The young driver pulled out, apparently thinking she had enough room and she didn't and pulled out in front of the motorcyclist, causing the motorcyclist to hit the rear of the vehicle, Stoy said.
Officers list the window paint as a possible factor in the crash along with other things, and charges are pending. Police say the rider meantime is still recovering from significant injuries.
At the time [of the crash] he was in critical condition. In the hospital, they have stated that his condition has improved, but last I checked on it, he was still hospitalized, Stoy said.
Stoy said that crash certainly wasn't the first time he's heard of window paint or signs possibly blocking a driver's view. He has personally seen other crashes, especially involving drivers who didn't see a bicyclist or pedestrian. With those examples, he says he and other officers will watch for the paint and pull drivers over for it.
We will stop cars that have the writing on the windows because it is a safety hazard and it is a contributing factor to a lot of our crashes, Stoy said.
He also advises high school and college graduates to find a different way to celebrate.
I mean, have fun, it's your graduation. And we expect you to have a good time, but keep safety in mind when you're going to be driving, Stoy said. You just can't have any signs or signage on your side windows or front window that blocks the drivers' clear view of any vehicles coming from approaching intersections or on the roadways.
Meridian Police are still investigating the crash, and again charges are still pending. It is unclear whether the motorcycle rider was wearing his helmet.
Meridian Police say everyone, recent grads included, should pay extra attention and buckle up. That department and several others in our area are using a federal grant to increase seat belt enforcement through June 5.
