S 248

Abstract

A BILL TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA HANDS-FREE ACT"; TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-3890 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE UNLAWFUL USE OF A WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE, TO REVISE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH IT IS UNLAWFUL TO USE A WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING AND PROVIDE PENALTIES, AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL REVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-720 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO POINTS THAT MAY BE ASSESSED AGAINST A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVING VIOLATIONS, TO PROVIDE THAT A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING IS A TWO-POINT VIOLATION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL NOTIFY MOTORISTS OF THE HANDS-FREE REQUIREMENTS AT CERTAIN POINTS ALONG THE STATE'S INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS; AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS.