A POPULAR truck modification was recently banned and those who break the law will face fines of up to $300 and could lose their driving privileges.
South Carolina’s new highway law provides four levels of penalties. The police will judge the regulation based on a difference of a few centimeters.
Lawmakers in the southern state have banned the “Carolina Squat,” a popular truck modification.
The Carolina Squat involves raising the front body of the vehicle and lowering the rear suspension.
This modification gained popularity in off-road Baja truck racing, according to JD Power.
Off-road racers found it easier to land their trucks on sandy tracks with this modification.
However, lawmakers considered the car modification potentially dangerous.
Drivers of modified trucks have reported problems with headlight focusing, road visibility, and increased risk of accidents.
The trucks also posed potential dangers to other vehicles.
Because the heaviest part of the truck is raised higher in the front, the modification increased the potential accident location.
Other drivers are at greater risk of head and neck injuries if their cars are struck head-on by a modified truck.
A 2021 petition in the state gathered 72,000 signatures asking lawmakers to ban the change.
State senators voted 33 to 1 to ban the truck modification in early 2024.
Drivers can raise the front bumper of their truck less than four inches above the rear bumper.
A three-inch lift is legal in the state, according to the law.
However, a four-inch front lift is now illegal.
After a six-month grace period, police are preparing to start issuing fines to drivers with modified vehicles, rather than just warning them.
The driver’s first ticket will cost $100.
The second fine will be $200, while the third will be $300.
The police can revoke a driver’s license after the third offense.
MORE MOD LAWS
Several states have introduced more laws to prevent drivers from making illegal car modifications.
Some of them hope to reduce road noise.
Michigan lawmakers have passed a law that will fine drivers if their engines and exhausts make too much noise.
Noisy Cars, Explained
Here are some of the modifications that regulators are looking to fight:
Engine and exhaust modifications are extremely popular among car enthusiasts.
Dozens of aftermarket systems can increase a car’s performance and make it louder.
For example, some drivers may implement performance air intakes and turbochargers to increase engine power.
Other drivers may change the muffler, catalytic converter, or exhaust pipes to increase airflow.
Both changes can increase the decibels in an engine’s notes.
Drivers can also make important changes, such as removing soundproofing parts around the engine.
But studies show that increased road noise has a cumulative impact on residents’ health.
A recent Harvard Medicine study found that residents who live near noisy roads have an increased risk of heart and lung disease, anxiety and type 2 diabetes.
Participants near noisy roads also reported increased sleep and mental health problems compared to their counterparts in quiet neighborhoods.
Connecticut also passed a similar road noise law that will deploy decibel recording monitors across the state.
Tickets under both laws carry fines of up to $250.
Lawmakers said the laws came about after residents complained about increased noise on the roads.
Studies have found that noisy roads can lead to potentially devastating effects on cardiovascular and nervous system health.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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