Having a Squatted Truck Could Soon Be Illegal In 1 State
Jane Lu
· 3 min read
Before you make any
car modifications
, you should always make sure you know what’s illegal in different states
. Nine months ago, a petition was started on Change.org
to make squatted trucks, or the "Carolina Squat," illegal.The petition has over 71,000 signatures. A new bill banning the Carolina Squat has passed
North Carolina's
House of Representatives, according to WCTI
. Here’s what a squatted truck is, the issues these modifications can cause, and potential penalties if the law passes.
What is a squatted truck?
A squatted truck is a truck with the front end raised and the rear lowered or unmodified. With the rear-end close to the ground, the truck looks like it's squatting, hence the name. While often nicknamed the Carolina Squat, the trend first appeared in California, according to
Top Speed
. The trend is inspired by Baja races in the desert terrains of California. Since the Baja is raced on hilly surfaces, there are a lot of jumps. The squat allows the truck to land on its rear first to avoid a nose-dive. Nose-dives could cause serious damage to the truck and prevent drivers from finishing the race.
North Carolina lawmakers are hoping to pass a bill to ban these modifications since they can lead to several safety hazards.
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
Why do people squat their trucks?
Other than Baja racing, squatting has no real practical purpose. The Carolina Squat trend is most popular in Southern states as well as North and South Dakota. Nowadays, most of the drivers that squat their trucks do it for the aesthetic.
The Carolina Squat is popular on various social media sites. There are Facebook groups and Instagram pages devoted to this type of modified vehicle. The market demand has led some manufacturers to produce their own squat kits for anyone to buy.
Why are these modifications dangerous?
The Carolina Squat has several drawbacks and potential dangers. The higher the truck, the harder it is to see ahead of you, and the
likelihood of crashes
greatly increases. A squatted truck loses its towing capability since its rear is already on the ground, and the suspension typically wears out quicker. When the truck angle changes, so do the headlights; the lights will illuminate the sky instead of the road. The lights can also point over the top of oncoming cars and blind drivers on the other side which can increase the risk of crashes.
For these reasons and other safety concerns, North Carolina lawmakers are working to ban squatted trucks. The bill states that "A private passenger automobile shall not be modified or altered by elevating more than three inches from the manufacturer’s specified height in the front and lowering the automobile more than two inches from the specified height in the rear."
According to WCTI, if the bill passes, drivers with squatted trucks will be charged a fine or even lose their
driver's license
.You’ll want to make sure you’re protected from any unexpected accidents caused by modified vehicles or dangerous driving behavior.
Jerry
can help you compare car insurance rates from top companies for maximum savings. The Jerry app will gather competitive quotes
to get you the best price for the coverage you need.
