• South Carolina passed a law last year banning “Carolina Squatted” trucks.
  • The law will come into full force on May 10th after a six-month grace period.
  • Violators will lose their driving license for one year if they are convicted of three offenses.

It’s been about six months since South Carolina’s own “Carolina Squat” law went into effect. During this time, the police only warned drivers with one modification or another. However, from May 10th this leniency will end. Violators now face three-digit fines and possibly the loss of their driving license.

The “Carolina Squat” is a modification in which the owner raises the front of the vehicle and sometimes lowers the rear as well. The result is a severely leaning vehicle with what some call glaring safety concerns. Carolina Squat vehicle drivers don’t have the same view of the road as most others because their cars face the sky.

More: North Carolina police discovered measuring vans for the infamous Carolina Squat

Now, starting May 10, those still driving a vehicle with the Carolina Squat mod in South Carolina will face a $100 fine. A second violation results in a $200 fine. If you are caught for the third time within a year, the fine increases to up to $300 and the driver loses their license for 12 months.

By law, no front fender may be more than ten centimeters higher than the height of the rear fender. Myrtle Beach Police Commander George Johnson tells WBTW that the law is the result of several accidents. “What we kept noticing was that we had several collisions where either a driver was approaching a stop sign and didn’t see the vehicle in front of them, or didn’t see a stopped vehicle while driving,” Johnson said.

“In several collisions I have worked on, it was like a sports car hitting a truck. From a reasonable distance – about 30 feet – you couldn’t see the top of the Mustang once we covered that extra inch,” he continued. “And from that distance you could barely see a child.”

Authorities in the region are doing everything they can to help citizens understand the law’s entry into force. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety issued a “friendly” reminder, and the Woodruff Police Department also said “punishments begin May 10.” It’s worth noting that the Carolina Squat is already banned in North Carolina and Virginia.