Multiple states across the nation have banned the practice and the Pelican state’s police officers are reminding drivers to avoid it too
2 hours ago
The ‘Carolina Squat’ modification where the front half of a car is much higher than the rear half is illegal in many states. Police Officers in Louisiana just took to social media to remind local drivers to avoid the practice. Many say that the ‘Carolina Squat’ poses significant safety risks for the public while fans claim the ban opens the door for further restrictions.
Different states legislate a ban on the ‘Carolina Squat’ differently. In the case of Louisiana, the ban defines a violation as any vehicle where the height of the front fender is six or more inches above the height of the rear fender. Officers measure the height at the middle of the fender from the ground through the center of the wheel.
The Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office, about 150 miles west of New Orleans, recently reminded drivers of the ordinance on its Facebook Page. While it didn’t specify the law itself, it also said that violators could also face citations surrounding the legal requirements for headlight height and direction.
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More: North Carolina Police Spotted Measuring Cars For The Infamous Carolina Squat
That last note about headlights highlights the concerns that many have around the safety aspects of the ‘Carolina Squat’ modification. Headlight beam patterns are designed with each specific model’s ride height in mind. While lifting or lowering a vehicle does change the height of the beam pattern it doesn’t affect the angle. The ‘Carolina Squat’ does and detractors say that it can blind oncoming traffic as a result.
Interestingly enough, it’s not just oncoming cars that might suffer from visibility issues. Drivers of vehicles with the modification don’t have as clear a view of their path as those without it. We’ve even reported on at least one fatal crash where authorities wondered if ‘Carolina Squat’ was a factor. It led to a ban on the practice in the state of Virginia.
Proponents around the USA believe these laws are going too far. “I think this bill being passed opens the door for many other bills to be passed, limiting what we can do with our vehicles,” squatted truck owner Nicholas Coletti said to Live5News in South Carolina.