'Carolina Squats' remain legal in Florida despite safety concerns

'Squatted truck' dangers

There are some people in Tampa concerned with the safety of the "Carolina Lift," the legal but often controversial practice of lifting the front bumper of a vehicle four or more inches than the back bumper.?Danielle Zulkosky reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - There are some people in Tampa concerned with the safety of the "Carolina Squat," the legal but often controversial practice of lifting the front bumper of a vehicle four or more inches than the back bumper. 

What they're saying:

Derek Ferguson, the president and owner of Next Level Customs, calls "Carolina Squats" a "gray area" in the world of car modifications. He banned them in his shop because of the safety concerns and the liability surrounding accidents in these modified cars. 

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Ferguson said accidents become easier when a car is modified in a way that the manufacturer did not intend. 

"A rollover is probably a big one," Ferguson said. "Sometimes, when it's unstable at higher speeds, you can lose control and then if you hit a median or something like that, you can definitely roll or flip the vehicle."

Ferguson also shared concern about what you can and cannot see from a car lifted on an angle. People, bikers and sometimes other cars are often hidden by the high bumper. They are especially hidden when they are close to the vehicle.

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"Visibility is limited," Ferguson said. "Sometimes you can't see over the dash very well, but it's also making the vehicle unstable."

Charles Gallagher, a consumer attorney, pointed out an additional safety concern.

"First of all, the lights. If you have the lights that are tilting upwards or downwards, it’s not a straight flow," Gallagher said. "So, you have a lot of issues if you have people in front of or behind that’s very disruptive."

Dig deeper:

Gallagher laid out Florida car specifications:

• Headlights must be at least 24" high and no higher than 54"
• The maximum bumper height is 22" for cars under 2,500 pounds and 28" for cars between 3,000-5,000 pounds.
• Vehicle height may not exceed 13' 6"

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"If those don't meet the required elements, you could have a violation," Gallagher said. "And, it would typically be a nonmoving violation."

Some Florida communities banned these squats — Daytona Beach and all other Volusia County beaches are notable examples.

"Many cities and counties are considering enacting ordinances," Gallagher said. "They’re having that on the east coast, a little bit of Florida that have been enacted recently over in Volusia. But right now, there is not any uniform state statute that prohibits these "Carolina Lifts."

Local perspective:

Currently in the Tampa Bay Area, there are no ordinances banning squatted vehicles. 

What you can do:

However, something to keep in mind is that technicians said squatting a car can damage the engine, because it is not designed to run at an angle. If you are looking to make any modifications to your vehicle, you should go to a trusted mechanic and discuss all the options that are best and safest for you.