As of September 9th, drivers in Beaufort County can be charged for texting and driving.
At the beginning of the week, the Beaufort County Council unanimously approved a ban on texting and driving, along with penalties if pulled over for the practice. Safety advocates have, for years, declared that texting and driving distracts drivers and leads to serious vehicle accidents, and now counties in South Carolina are acting on this information.
The council overwhelmingly endorsed the ban at previous meetings. “I don’t think we’ve ever passed an ordinance with less debate than this one,” Councilman Rick Caporale said.
The ordinance is very similar to the texting and driving ban passed in Hilton Head in July, with a 4-to-1 vote. The ban makes it illegal for drivers to compose, send, or read electronic messages like texts or emails while driving. Motorists asking for emergency service are exempt from the ban, as well as emergency responders, who might need to read or send electronic messages as part of their job.
Violators will be charged with a misdemeanor and fined $100 for the first offense; $200 for the second offense; and $300 for subsequent offenses.
The new texting and driving ban in Hilton Head says that any motorist caught reading or composing electronic messages, from Facebook to texts, within the town limits will face misdemeanor fines. The first offense is $100, the second is $200, and the third is $300. However, the measure does specifically say that drivers can still use MP3 players, GPS navigation, and hands-free options on their phones.
Deputies say that, now that the texting and driving ban has passed, they will begin enforcing the policy immediately. However, much like Hilton Head, the Sheriff’s Department hopes to get the word out first with warnings, and local chambers of commerce will publish information about the new texting and driving ordinance.
South Carolina Considers Statewide Texting and Driving Ban
In March, the South Carolina legislature re-introduced a texting and driving bill, sponsored by Rep. Don Bowen of Anderson County, who has been pushing such legislation for two years. In 2012, the bill did not pass, but Bowen says he is more confident the bill will pass this time around.
“We’re hoping by putting the teeth back into the bill, and the awareness has become so much greater than it has in the past, that this time we won’t have the opposition that we’ve had to it,” said Bowen.
“The problem is that it’s going to require an officer that pulls you over to take your phone, and go through your phone to figure out what you were doing,” said Rep. Todd Rutherford of Richland County. “Because dialing on a cell phone and texting on a cell phone, how is the officer going to know the difference?”
The Strom Law Firm Prosecutes Texting and Driving
If you have been injured by a distracted driver, including one who was texting and driving, the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. Our South Carolina car accident lawyers are prepared to fight for compensation in the courtroom and will defend your right to compensation for your past and future medical bills, lost wages and future earnings, your pain and suffering, and, in the event of a fatal car accident, even wrongful death. We offer free consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800.