If you installed a new screen in your car for greater convenience while driving, access to more features, or simply to modernize the interior, there is a detail you may not have taken into account.
The Mexico City Traffic Regulations establish a condition for these types of devices when they are installed in the front section of a vehicle. Ignoring it can have consequences that go beyond a monetary penalty and that you may not have expected when installing the screen.
The Fine Can Cost More Than What You Paid for the Screen
Article 38, section II, subsection i, of the Mexico City Traffic Regulations prohibits installing or using televisions, screens for projecting any type of video, or entertainment systems in the front section of a vehicle when they are within the driver’s visual range.
For this conduct, the fine can be 20, 25, or 30 times the current Measurement and Update Unit (UMA). For 2026, with one UMA set at 117.31 pesos, the amounts are:
- 20 UMAs: 2,346.20 pesos
- 25 UMAs: 2,932.75 pesos
- 30 UMAs: 3,519.30 pesos
Beyond the payment, the violation also carries three points against the driver’s license and one point against the vehicle registration plate.
The Regulations state:
“Installing or using televisions or screens for projecting any type of video or entertainment systems in the front section of the vehicle;… Failure to comply with the provisions of subsection i) of this section shall be sanctioned with a fine equivalent to 20, 25, or 30 times the current Measurement and Update Unit, three points against the driver’s license, and one point against the vehicle registration plate.”
Accessible Screens Have This Feature for Which Traffic Authorities Can Issue a Penalty
Depending on the equipment and its functions, the price of car screens can vary considerably. On Mercado Libre, there are options ranging from 482 pesos to 24,569 pesos.
Among the available features are backup cameras and the ability to project content from a mobile phone. With the latter feature, some devices allow users to play movies through streaming services or even watch live program broadcasts.
For those looking to upgrade a vehicle that did not originally come equipped with a factory-installed screen, these features can represent an improvement in convenience and entertainment. However, their installation is also an aspect that must be considered in light of traffic regulations.
Distracted Driving Is Linked to Road Accidents
As a road safety context, the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) states that cellphone use while driving has become the leading cause of road accidents. Answering a call, sending messages, or becoming distracted by videos or audiovisual content while driving are among the risk factors identified by the agency.
Around 71% of traffic crashes are attributable to the driver, according to studies cited by the SICT. Within that percentage, 20% corresponds to recklessness or intentional actions, 12% to excessive speed, 11% to driving into the opposite lane, and another 11% to failing to maintain a safe following distance.
Other factors identified by the agency include driving at excessive speed, driving under the influence of alcohol, and vehicle occupants failing to wear seat belts. Its recommendation is to avoid these behaviors in order to prevent accidents, injuries, and deaths.
Source: politica.expansion
