RALEIGH, N.C. — The "Carolina Squat" is no more. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 692 in late August 2021 and the bill went into effect on December 1, 2021.
The ban prohibits certain modifications to passenger vehicles on public roads and highways.
One of those modifications is the Carolina Squat, also known as the "Carolina lean."
The Carolina Squat is "a truck or SUV with a lift kit on the front axle and an un-lifted or lowered rear end," according to Autoweek.
The trend started to emulate off-road racing trucks with a similar design to help land jumps, Autoweek reported.
The Carolina Squat's history can be traced back to the Baja racing circuit in California, HotCars.com reported.
Critics of the modification said because the front of the truck is pointed toward the sky, the vehicle's headlights are unable to illuminate the road and the driver's view is compromised. They also said it affects the handling of the vehicle.
A Change.org petition that asked the North Carolina House of Representatives to ban the modifications was been signed by more than 70,000 people.
Drivers caught breaking the new law could lose their license for at least a year.
