Understanding the Various Traffic Violations in South Carolina and How They Can Impact You Legally

Driving in South Carolina can be tricky. With risk factors like a dense population, many rural highways, and complicated driving laws, you may occasionally have to make quick decisions to comply with the law. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the traffic laws in this state and how they can impact you as a driver. In this guide, we will discuss an array of traffic violations in South Carolina and what their legal implications can be to you, the driver.

Below, we will give you a broad introduction to the local driving laws in South Carolina. This can help you not only stay safer on the road but may also be useful as you comply with the law and obey driving mandates. We will talk about general topics like drinking and driving, speeding, illegal U-turns, reckless driving, running red lights, leaving the scene of an accident, and more.

Bearing this in mind, we can't cover every single topic or complex driving situation here.If you need immediate legal advice or have been involved in an accident caused by another driver who was charged with a traffic violation, contact a car accident lawyer in South Carolina. A South Carolina car accident lawyer is the best person to provide detailed answers to your specific questions.

Need a Car Accident Lawyer in South Carolina? Call Brian Robert Murphy Now!

If you need urgent legal assistance or have been in an accident caused by a driver charged with a traffic violation, reach out to the Law Offices of Brian Robert Murphy, a car accident lawyer in South Carolina. The Law Offices of Brian Robert Murphy is committed to defending your rights in court and helping you recover any lost damages. This is particularly important if you were injured by a driver who violated traffic laws in South Carolina.

Where to Find a Full List of Traffic Violations in South Carolina

You can learn about South Carolina's driving laws in the Title 56 section of the South Carolina Code of Laws at www.SCSstateHouse.gov. Remember, localized areas like Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach, and Aiken, may have additional traffic laws.

What are the Most Important Traffic Violations in South Carolina to Avoid?

It is important to adhere to your state’s driving laws for various reasons. Not only do traffic laws help drivers and passengers stay safer on the roads, but violating these legal mandates can lead to points lost off of your license, hefty fines, or being found to be at fault after an accident.

Some Common Traffic violations in South Carolina Include:

• Driving Under the Influence

Drinking and driving or driving under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances is illegal in South Carolina. Driving with an open container is also illegal. If cited, you can expect fines ranging from $100 to $400 and 48 hours to 30 days of jail time. You may also receive a suspension of your driver's license for six months for the first offense. With multiple offenses, the consequences become steeper.

• Driving Without a License

It is illegal to drive in South Carolina without a current driver's license. Even if your driver's license is only suspended, it is still illegal to operate a motor vehicle on South Carolina's roadways.

• Driving Without Insurance

Driving without any car insurance or with insufficient insurance is illegal in the state. A minimum amount of liability insurance is required for all drivers to legally operate a vehicle on roadways in South Carolina.

• Driving with an Expired Registration Tag

Driving either with an expired registration tag or without any registration at all is illegal in South Carolina.

• Failing to Comply with Local Laws

Certain regional traffic laws, such as yielding to emergency vehicles or using a roundabout properly, must be complied with in the state of South Carolina.

• Making an Illegal U-turn

Certain turn lanes are marked with ‘no U-turn signs’. This means that a U-turn in these places will be deemed illegal.

• Leaving the Scene of an Accident

If you are involved in an automobile accident that leads to $500 or more of damages in South Carolina, you must stay at the scene of the accident until the police arrive. Fines for leaving the scene of an accident can range from $100 to $5,000 and a maximum jail sentence of one year. 

If you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident in South Carolina, it is pertinent to call a car accident lawyer in South Carolina as soon as possible.

• Operating an Illegal Vehicle on Roadways

If you are driving a vehicle with unlawful modifications or other mechanical violations, you could be violating SC laws.

• Reckless Driving

Driving with a lack of duty of care to other motorists is illegal statewide. This may include lane changes, failing to maintain your lane, using your phone while driving, and more.

• Failing to Yield

Failing to yield appropriately at stop signs or traffic lights constitutes a legal violation. Even when turning 'right on red', you must come to a full stop first.

• Speeding

Going above the marked speed limit is illegal. Fines for exceeding the maximum speed limit range from $15 to $445.

• Violating Restraint Laws

Failing to comply with state mandates and child restraint laws or not wearing your seatbelt may lead to a traffic citation. Tickets for violating South Carolina's seat belt laws range from $25 to $50, and car seat traffic tickets are usually around $150, depending on the case.

Consequences Vary Depending on the Severity of Traffic Violations in South Carolina

These are just a few of the most commonly violated traffic laws in the state of South Carolina. Violating these laws can have minimal consequences like a simple $15 speeding ticket and points off your license, or serious ramifications such as 30 days of jail time. On average, the fines for traffic violations in South Carolina range from $35 to $445. For a complete list, you can visit the driving section (56) of South Carolina's Code of Laws online.

Understanding the Driver’s License Point System in South Carolina

As with many other states in the US, South Carolina uses a point system that tracks drivers' safety on the road. Every time you violate a traffic law, a specific number of points may be deducted from your license. This is in addition to other consequences like fines or raised insurance rates. In time, losing points could lead to the revocation of your driver's license.

Here are some examples of how many points may be deducted from your license according to the South Carolina Code, as stated in section 56-1720.

Speeding: Loss of 2 to 6 Points

Speeding or exceeding the maximum speed limit equates to a deduction of two points from your driver’s license for every 10 miles you are going above the speed limit. Additionally, you can lose four points for going from 10 to 25 miles over the limit. Speeding more than 25 miles above the limit can lead to a six-point deduction from your driver's license, as well as other serious legal consequences.

Failure to Yield: Loss of 4 Points

Failing to yield to a stop sign or traffic signal can result in a deduction of four points from your driver's license.

Tailgating: Loss of 4 Points

Following a vehicle too closely, otherwise known as tailgating, may result in the loss of four points from your driver's license in South Carolina.

Passing a Stopped School Bus: Loss of 6 Points

If you pass a stopped school bus, you could lose six points off your driver's license. Remember, in South Carolina, school buses are legally required to come to a full stop when crossing train tracks. It is illegal to pass them at this time, in addition to when they are stopped on any other roadways.

Know When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in South Carolina

Are you wondering when you should hire a car accident lawyer in South Carolina? This will depend on your unique situation. If you were wrongfully injured in a car accident caused by a driver charged with a traffic violation, it’s important to consult with a personal injury lawyer in South Carolina.

A car accident lawyer in South Carolina can not only answer your specific questions, but if you were wrongfully injured, an experienced personal injury lawyer in the state can defend you in court and help you recover lost damages. This is particularly crucial if your injuries were caused by a driver who committed one or more traffic violations in South Carolina.

How to Speak with an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in South Carolina?

If you were injured in a car accident caused by a driver who broke traffic laws in South Carolina, it's important to have an attorney on your side. We suggest reaching out to the Law Offices of Brian Robert Murphy right away for legal help.

Click here to speak to a car accident lawyer in South Carolina!

What can a personal injury lawyer in South Carolina help you with?

An experienced personal injury lawyer in South Carolina can help you with an array of issues. Particularly, your attorney will be able to assist you in seeking damages after being wrongfully injured. Ergo, if you were the victim in an automobile accident caused because someone else committed a traffic violation, a car accident lawyer in South Carolina will be able to help you sue for damages or receive the full amount owed to you by the insurance company.

A Personal Injury Lawyer in South Carolina Can Also Help You:

• Negotiate with insurance adjusters

• Prove your claims

• Get an accurate case valuation

• Reduce the burden of recovering damages without experienced legal assistance

• Recover damages for things like lost work and income, pain and suffering, or lost quality of life

These are just some of the things that a personal injury lawyer in South Carolina like the Law Offices of Brian Robert Murphy can do. To find out more or have your case reviewed risk-free by a car accident lawyer in South Carolina, call our Charleston office now at 843-670-0196! Or, visit the website https://www.brianmurphylawyer.com/. 

Let A Car Car Accident Lawyer in South Carolina Help You Now

It's easy to file a consultation form to speak with a car accident lawyer in South Carolina! Simply click here now for help from the Law Offices of Brian Robert Murphy!