CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A white flag symbolizes many things in society, like truce, surrender or peace. Can it also mean help if your car breaks down on the side of the road?
There have been Instagram reels about the topic and many people still aren't sure why drivers in North Carolina leave a white cloth or even a T-shirt on their car if they experience a breakdown on the highway. One Verify viewer came to WCNC Charlotte with the question after seeing several abandoned cars in Charlotte.
"Why do nearly all broken-down cars I see in and around Charlotte have shirts hanging out of the window?" the viewer wrote.
THE QUESTION
Does a white shirt hanging out of a car window on the side of the road mean help?
THE ANSWER
Yes, a white cloth on your car on the side of the road can signal that a driver needs help.
OUR SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
The topic is addressed on page 62 of the North Carolina Drivers handbook. It states if a vehicle breakdown forces you to stop, drivers should move far off the road and tie a white cloth on the radio antenna or left door handle and raise the hood.
Just a few miles from WCNC Charlotte on Interstate 77, we spotted three cars broken down on the side of the road. None of them had anything white attached to them. Casey said a rag or cloth tied to the car is a cue for troopers to pull over and make sure things are OK, but Casey he also said drivers should immediately call for help rather than just leaving their car on the side of the road.
"If we do see the white towel or T-shirt on the vehicle, we are going to stop and check on it," Casey said.
However, Casey said troopers are going to stop and check on any stopped vehicles, regardless of whether they have a white cloth or not. They're also looking for an orange sticker.
"Your vehicle will get tagged," Casey said. "We will put an orange sticker on it with the time and date and the info that is required, and then the clock will start for the 24-hour timeframe."
According to North Carolina law, you have 24 hours to move your vehicle or it will get towed. Casey said the Highway Patrol has a list of vehicles with tags and once they're confirmed to still be on the road, they'll get them moved once 24 hours have passed.
"We actually call the tow company and let our communication center know that this vehicle needs to be towed," Casey said. "We have a list of records for whoever is next on our list."
Sometimes it will take longer than 24 hours to get the vehicle towed, according to Casey, who said some of the larger counties will probably see more vehicles on the side of the road based on the number of cars passing through.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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