Your Truck Will No Longer Be Able to Squat in North Carolina
A truck modification on the highways and byways of North and South Carolina is squatting trucks. While this is popular with some, this will soon be illegal in North Carolina and, if not quickly corrected, could land you in traffic court, where you could lose your driver’s license.
If you have considered squatting your truck lately, think again. With the changes in the law, you may find yourself quickly undoing the modifications. Learn more in this brief overview.
What Is Truck Squatting?
Squatting is when you modify your truck’s suspension so the truck’s front elevates more than the rear, which gives the vehicle the appearance of squatting or sagging. This practice in North Carolina is referred to as the Carolina Squat.
Squatting causes your headlines to point up while your tailgate points down. The exact angle of the squat varies based on your specific modification.
Squatting is a practice made famous on the West Coast by Baja Racing Circuit members. The modification allowed the off-road jumpers to make risky jumps without the fear of wrecking. The driver’s fears were mitigated following the jump by the rear of their trucks hitting the ground first, which helped them avoid crashing.
This phenomenon has spread across the country and become popular in the South, including North and South Carolina. Although many truck owners do not engage in off-road jumps, squatting has become a popular modification to change the look of a truck.
What Are the Concerns About Squatting?
Squatting was designed for off-road trucks and presents serious concerns for trucks on roads and highways. A few concerns that the opponents of the practice have raised include the following:
- Squatting limits what the driver can see out of the windshield: The angle of the truck makes it difficult for the driver to see what is directly in front of them, making the truck unsafe.
- Squatting positions the headlights at an upward angle: Not only do the headlights not illuminate the road in front of the truck, but the elevations of the headlights often blind oncoming drivers. If you follow another vehicle, the lights illuminate the other driver’s rearview mirror.
- Squatting changes the balance of the driver’s seat: The shift in balance causes the driver to tilt their seat to offset the slide from the squat. This alteration in seating affects your steering and braking.
Numerous campaigns and petitions have been filed to make the practice illegal. The successful advocacy against this practice has led to the governor of North Carolina changing the modification laws, making squatting illegal.
What Are the Changes to the North Carolina Law?
On August 30, 2021, Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 692 into law. This law made certain vehicle modifications illegal, including those that give your vehicle the squatted look. The law explicitly states that you will violate the law if the front fender of your truck is four or more inches higher than your back fender. These changes in the law will go into effect on December 1, 2021.
Violating the law after that date could result in you receiving a traffic citation. If you receive three or more citations in 12 months, you risk revoking your driver’s license for a year.
If you receive a citation for squatting or any other traffic citation, call Carl L Britt, Jr Attorney at Law. We have the knowledge and experience to successfully address any charges you may face. Give us a call so we can schedule you for a consultation. We look forward to meeting with you and helping you with your traffic citation case. Let us know what questions you may have.