South Carolina lawmakers push for hands-free driving bill
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Stopping at a red light to take out your phone, scrolling to check messages while driving, and making a phone call behind the wheel could all soon be illegal in South Carolina.
Violators could be slapped with a minimum $100 fine.
A bill advancing in the state’s House of Representatives would enact a hands-free driving law in South Carolina.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, around 30 other states already have this type of ban in place.
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Texting while driving is already illegal in South Carolina, but this bill would prohibit drivers from holding or ing a cell phone while they are driving, so they would not be able to hold it to their ears, type or scroll, or even have it on their laps.
It would also apply to other electronic devices, like gaming devices, and would prohibit drivers from watching videos or video calls.
Hands-free calls and voice-to-text would still be allowed.
Drivers caught breaking the law would face a $100 fine the first time and then $200 for violations after that, and more severe penalties, including prison time, could be imposed on drivers who were on their phones and then killed or seriously injured someone else.
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“If we can take away one more distraction, we can save one more life. And if you’ve ever talked to somebody who lost a loved one, you can’t put a price on that,” said Ralph Bell of ABATE of South Carolina, a motorcyclist advocacy group.
The bill initially would have added two points to an offender’s driving record after their second violation.
But House removed that penalty Thursday, saying they were concerned it might draw too much opposition that it could put age of the entire bill in jeopardy.
“And this will help save a lot of lives, as opposed to if try to push it through now with the points involved, we know there’s a good chance it might fail,” said Rep. Kathy Landing, R-Charleston.
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A House Judiciary subcommittee unanimously advanced the bill Thursday, with groups including motorcyclists and the truckers’ association telling them South Carolina needs to enact it.
“Truck drivers will tell you that’s their biggest concern, that this is their biggest concern, is distracted car drivers,” said South Carolina Trucking Association President and CEO Rick Todd.
This bill has been proposed several times in the past but never reached the governor’s desk, and it could still face opposition.
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“I believe in individual liberty and personal freedom and personal responsibility. So at this point, depending on how the bill comes out of committee and what it looks like, I feel like I’m not going to be in favor of it,” Rep. Joe White, R – Newberry, said.
Because of a federal rule, South Carolina could put tens of millions of dollars in federal highway funding at risk if it does not enact a hands-free law for commercial drivers, like buses and large trucks.
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