Lawmakers discussing possible hands-free driving law in South Carolina - WJBF-TV
SOUTH CAROLINA (WJBF) — Georgia’s hands-free law took effect in 2018 making it against the law for drivers to have a cell phone or similar technology in their hands or touch any part of their body while they drive. South Carolina lawmakers are working to get the same there.
“I have a two-year-old. So, I have to watch out for that all the time. Cause if I get in an accident, it’s not gonna be a good thing with him in the car,” Taylor Byers told NewsChannel 6’s Aiken Bureau Chief Shawn Cabbagestalk about the issue.
Distracted driving — it’s an issue many people are dealing with across the country and in South Carolina.
“You can tell when the light traffic light changes, people don’t pull off and if you look really closely, they’re all on their phone, either talking or you can see ’em texting on it,” Eric Harper added. “I’ve seen close calls distracted drivers texting and them about to cause an accident,” Sherry Sockwell shared.
South Carolina has distracted driving laws that prohibit reading, writing, and sending texts from a wireless device while driving. Now a bill sponsored in the Senate by Senator Tom Young wants to take that a step further by making holding a cellphone behind the wheel, whether it’s for having a conversation or answering a text, illegal in the Palmetto State.
It’s a bill years in the making. “There hasn’t been a hundred percent support in the general assembly to move this bill. But I feel like this session, there’s a good bit more support to move the bill,” Sen. Tom Young said. “Distracted driving is a public safety issue and this bill is one step further as we attempt to make South Carolina’s roads safer,” he added.
He added that there was strong support from different parts of the state to get it on the road to being completed this session.
With the current bill, the first offense is a $100 fine. The second and subsequent offense is $300 dollars. Lawmakers hope to have it on Governor Henry McMaster’s desk by the middle of May. There would be a short time period to let the public know that the law is in effect if passed.
Meanwhile, Byers has a simple solution for using your phone behind the wheel. “Stay out their phone, make the calls before they get in the car,” she added.
source: https://www.wjbf.com/news/lawmakers-discussing-possible-hands-free-driving-law-in-south-carolina/
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