Back in June, Ford Authority reported that a bill had been introduced in North Carolina that aimed to ban the Carolina Squat – a way to refer to trucks or SUVs (most commonly) that sit far lower in the rear than the front. Critics argue that this sort of modification is dangerous for a number of reasons, but it’s become an incredibly popular trend in both North and South Carolina, among other states. However, such vehicles will be illegal in North Carolina starting December 1st after Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 692, according to WTKR News.
Currently, the state of North Carolina doesn’t regulate bumper height on vehicles, though most other states do. However, House Bill 692 changes that, stating that a “private passenger automobile shall not be modified or altered by elevating the automobile more than 3 inches from the manufacturer’s specified height in the front and lowering the automobile more than two inches from the manufacturer’s specified height in the rear. A private passenger automobile modified or altered in violation of this subsection shall not be operated upon any highway or public vehicular area.”
While both lifted and lowered vehicles are incredibly popular among automotive enthusiasts, the Carolina Squat has caught the attention of lawmakers because it creates a potentially dangerous stance. With the front end pointed toward the sky, headlights aren’t quite as effective, and it’s virtually impossible for the driver to see directly in front of the vehicle. Raising the front and lowering the rear also adversely affects handling.
Those that choose to continue driving a squatted vehicle after the law goes into effect face some pretty stiff penalties. In addition to fines, owners could also lose their license for an entire year if they’re cited three times for driving a vehicle modified in this manner.
We’ll have more on this new law soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
Should drop a Texas deuce on such idiocy.
I’m glad NC banned making your truck look like sh!t…….
At least transmissions don’t last long in those things, running on empty sumps with trans oil puddled in the back.
This is an old version of the bill. The approved version (paraphrasing) says the front can’t be more than four inches higher than the back.
Good. I was worried how this would apply to lower cars. If this applied to all lowering and raising then it would become a slippery slope into stopping all car modification.
This is beyond redneck, I’m think inbreeding.
“Ford Trucks Banned From Getting The ‘Carolina Squat’ In North Carolina”
ALL Trucks Banned from getting the “Carolina Squat” in North Carolina
Well… this is the Ford Authority site…
Be different but do it safe, and good luck with that look!
Further proof that it is really, really hard to correct abject stupidity!!
N.C. is on the Bull $h1t again. People have been doing this since the start of air shocks and Hydro shocks, it’s all over! Chevy and ford are legit companies leading, Dodge/Chrysler are just followers more so copycats lmao not an original though from them!
Good. As bad as hair buns
In my opinion, this is a rather dumb looking vehicle mod, but there are a lot of other things that I think also look pretty dumb. Maybe it’s bad on a transmission, maybe it makes it hard to see in front of the truck. If that’s the case, then if they cause an accident that is obviously directly related to the fact that their truck is squatted, then fine them at that time. Here’s the problem I have with this bill: this is AMERICA. As Americans, people have every right to look as foolish as their heart desires. Americans have every right to cause as much damage to their transmissions as they want to. You can’t base laws on potential. I’m a man, so I have the potential to be a rapist. That doesn’t mean I should automatically be sitting in prison, by default, just because there is a “potential” that exists.
But laws are based on potential – you have to have a driver’s license to drive to reduce the risk you’ll drive without the needed minimal skill set. Stopping vehicular modifications because they pose a risk to other operators is not unreasonable. The operator of a front lifted truck cannot visualize the road as well and this could cause them to more easily strike another vehicle. If lifted enough the truck could override the victims bumper, etc resulting in greater harm to the victim car’s passengers. Perhaps you think that’s ok but many of us don’t.
One person’s rights have to stop when they impinge on another person’s life and well-being.