CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's a familiar site for many people driving around the Carolinas: A vehicle sitting on the side of the road that has been there for a while.
Abandoned vehicles can create a hazard for all other drivers, so what does it take to get them removed?
A Reddit post asks why there are so many abandoned vehicles on the roads throughout Charlotte. WCNC Charlotte's VERIFY team looked into it.
OUR SOURCES:
WHAT WE FOUND:
When it comes to vehicles left on the side of the road, each city has different rules and regulations.
According to the North Carolina general statute, a vehicle left on public grounds for more than seven days or on someone's property for two hours without the owner's consent is considered abandoned.
Charlotte city code has the same standards, stating it's unlawful for a person to leave a vehicle on public property like a street or a highway for longer than seven days, on property owned by the city for 24 hours, or on private property without the owner's consent for two hours.
According to NC statute, it is the owner's responsibility to remove the vehicle. If they don't, the county can.
However, for a vehicle to be removed from private property, the owner of the property must request for it to be removed.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.
WCNC Charlotte's Verify series is all about trying to make a difference in the Carolinas by making sure the community has the correct information. WCNC Charlotte outlines concisely what we know and what we don't know. Sometimes the answer can be surprising. Watch previous stories where we verify social media claims in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.