If you’ve been on the road lately, you’ve probably seen the modification known as the Carolina squat. Squatted trucks have lowered rear ends and raised front ends. They look a little like a truck that is carrying a massive load in the bed. The modification also goes by “Tennessee tilt,” or “California lean,” but the end result is the same. No matter what you call it, you can’t do it in North Carolina anymore.
The North Carolina legislature passed a bill banning the modification in June, according to the Daily Mail. They ratified the bill on August 25. The law goes into effect on December 1. From that day forward, anyone caught with the Carolina squat on the road can lose their driver’s license for up to one year.
North Carolina lawmakers didn’t ban the Carolina squat because it’s a rolling eyesore. They did so because they claim the modification is dangerous and experts agree. For one, the drastically lifted front end combined with the lowered rear end causes the driver to sit at an odd angle. This can obstruct their view of the road. Additionally, the modification can cause the vehicle’s headlights to blind other drivers. The headlights of a squatted truck can shine directly into the eyes or rearview mirrors of other motorists. As a result, the modification is dangerous for not only the driver of the modified vehicle but also other motorists in their vicinity.
Additionally, the Carolina squat makes vehicles more likely to flip during an accident. It can also have a detrimental effect on the vehicle’s brakes and steering.
More About the Carolina Squat Ban
The law banning the Carolina squat is very clear. The law prohibits vehicles that have been altered so that the front fender is four or more inches higher than the rear fender. So, lowered, bagged, or otherwise modified vehicles are still legal on the streets of North Carolina. Only squatted vehicles have been deemed dangerous and prohibited.
The push to ban the Carolina squat began with a petition. It gained over 71,000 signatures, which was enough to get the legal ball rolling.
One North Carolina resident signed the petition, saying, “I’m signing because it is impossible to see with the headlight beaming into my backup mirror! I don’t understand how they could possibly see who or what is in front of them with the front of the vehicle so high up!”
Another NC resident signed the petition and chimed in about why he did so. Richard Tucker wrote, “I’m signing this because not only is it dangerous to other drivers and it blinds people but it looks stupid something needs to be done about this.”
The Carolina squat ban goes into effect on December 1, which gives owners of squatted vehicles plenty of time to reverse the modification on their vehicle.
