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Subcommittee advances bill that lets drivers avoid conviction if 'Carolina squat' is corrected before court
Summary
Sen. Mulcahy's SB 426 would allow judges to dismiss a primary‑offense violation for vehicles modified with a 'Carolina squat' if the owner corrects the alteration and proves the fix before their court date; the subcommittee voted 7–0 to report the bill.
Senator Mulcahy described SB 426 as a targeted remedy following a fatal crash in her district and a 2022 law that made 'Carolina squat' vehicle configurations a primary offense. Under the bill as explained in the hearing, a driver who corrects the vehicle alteration and proves the correction before court could have the violation dismissed at the judge's discretion, creating an incentive to fix unsafe modifications rather than pay a fine and return to the road.
Members speaking in support noted the vehicles' handling and visibility issues: "They squat so low ... I don't know how they see, frankly, over the hood of their vehicle," one member said, and another called the configurations "very dangerous." The sponsor and supporters framed the bill as a way to reduce safety risks by encouraging corrective action.
The subcommittee voted to report SB 426 to the full transportation committee by a recorded tally of 7–0; the sponsor was told she need not attend the full committee hearing.
