One of the best things about buying and owning a car is being able to customize it to suit you. There are tons of aftermarket parts, both for aesthetics and for performance, that you can choose to buy and install on your car. You can tweak your car how you want and there’s nobody that can tell you that you can’t.
That is, except for the law. And that’s completely sensible, especially when you consider that there could be safety concerns for yourself or other drivers if certain after-market changes were made.
Custom Hot Rod
There are many car modifications that are illegal in most states because these modifications could cause accidents. So, if you’re planning on customizing your car, these are the modifications you need to avoid:
Underbody Neon Lights
Underbody neon lights are dangerous because of the distraction that they create on the road at night. While subtle colors like white are fine to use, colors that draw unnecessary attention are dangerous and illegal. These lights can also be used to impersonate law enforcement elements. If you really want to use custom lights, you need to use ones from reputable and legal sources like XK Glow.
Nitrous Kits
Nitrous on the track is fine, but the main problem here is that some drivers use nitrous on the streets, where there are pedestrians, motorcycle riders, and other cars that aren’t trying to race. Nitrous kits are also toxic, which makes them a real risk on the road.
Excessively Low Ride Height
Ride height that’s too low can cause your frame to scrape against humps and bumps, thereby hindering the ability of the driver to control the car. As we all know, losing control of a car, even momentarily, is a recipe for an accident.
1939 Lincoln Zephyr – “Scrape”
Excessively High Lift Kits
While it might feel cool and look cool to give your truck a monster truck aesthetic, the danger with lift kits is that they alter the way your truck handles. A lift kit can hinder your truck’s ability to brake effectively. A lift kit also adds weight to the truck, which means a longer braking time. If drivers aren’t careful, they could plow into other cars and pedestrians. Again, a lack of control, even momentarily, is a recipe for an accident.
Hydraulics
Hydraulics are used to help modders circumvent the ban on excessively low ride heights, and while it’s a clever solution, most states still ban the use of hydraulics when the car is in motion because it, too, hinders the car’s stability.
There are many joys to be had in car ownership. For most, the freedom that comes with being able to travel in a vehicle is more than enough. But, like all freedoms we enjoy, they have limits. These limits are enforced so that we do not harm other people while we exercise our freedoms. So, you’re allowed to do what you please to you car, as long as it is within the law and you don’t harm anyone.
But there are things that are necessary and absolutely legal. Especially if the driver is disabled in any sense. Hand controls, steering aids, remote control devices, or car lifts. If you are a wheelchair user it may be difficult to transfer from a wheelchair into your vehicle. It is possible to use accessories such as a car lift to help with this. Again, the best tip would be to check what adaptations your car can support and what the law allows.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
Custom by Big Daddy Ed Roth
All photos by Mike Gulett.
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