By Kabeer Yousuf — MUSCAT: April 10 - Modifying your vehicle with additional fittings, lowering the pressure or meddling with shock absorbers and using glass tint beyond permitted levels, you to need to be careful. All these practices are prohibited by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) on grounds of security, maintenance of law and order and safety of people using the vehicle as well as the public.
Installing additional fittings and accessories on vehicles, modifying the bumpers, fixing curtains in such a way that it obstructs view of the people sitting inside, changing the silencer for a roaring noise, lowering mudguards, using LCD lights are some of the few modifications seen in the country.
“Modifying your vehicle or using sun protection on the glass beyond permitted limits of 30 per cent is not allowed in Oman, and any sort of such modification will invite a fine depending on the grades of offence,” a source at the ROP told the Observer.
However, only exceptions are vehicles which are used for desert and during the khareef season in Salalah where high beam or coloured LED lights are permitted.
“Those vehicles engaged in desert activities, plying during the khareef season in Dhofar are excluded from using halogen lamps on grounds of safety and all other rules governing modifications are applicable to these vehicles as well,” he added.
There are many cases involving such illegally modified vehicles and last year alone, there more than 35,000 cases of wrong use of tinted car glass are registered.
Besides, addition of electronic and electric gadgets, often those which are not up to the country’s quality standards, can ignite fire easily in case of any accident and risks the lives of the passengers.
According to Article 33 of Royal Decree 28/93 on traffic laws, use of film that affects the transparency of glass and reduces vision by more than 30 per cent is illegal.
Conversely, 30 per cent tinting is permitted to provide protection from the sun and any suncool film that obstructs the drivers’ vision is illegal and is found to be the major reason for accidents especially at nights.
Modifying vehicles with decorations and accessories, roof covers, light covers and stickers is strictly prohibited and is permitted only during national celebrations as per the specifications prescribed by the ROP.
The import of such vehicles too is not allowed unless the consignee volunteers to remove such decorations, the source added.
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