'Carolina Squats' remain legal in Florida despite safety concerns

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.