SOUTH CAROLINA — The six-month warning period for South Carolina’s new hands-free driving law ends Friday. Starting Saturday, drivers caught using a handheld mobile device will receive a $100 ticket instead of a warning.
The law prohibits motorists from holding or supporting a mobile device with any part of their body while operating a vehicle.
The grace period was designed to educate the public about the new safety requirements before the state began collecting fines and assessing license points.
The new law carries escalating penalties for repeated violations. Drivers caught a second or third time within three years will face a $200 fine and have two points added to their driving record. Officials noted that motorists who accumulate 12 points on their license face a potential suspension.
Law enforcement agencies have spent the last 180 days focused on educating the public through roadside warnings.
In York County, police issued a total of 775 warnings during the grace period. This represents the second-highest number of warnings in the state, trailing only Charleston County.
Hannah Davidson, a Master Trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, tracked the specific enforcement efforts of state troopers in the region.
“In troop four so far since September 1st through February 24th, we have written a total of 648 warnings just with the Highway Patrol agencies,” Davidson said.
Davidson expects the number of actual citations to be higher than the warning totals once the grace period expires. She noted that troopers intend to take a proactive approach to enforcement to improve road safety. “So troopers want to be proactive and not reactive to this, so I do expect to see an increase in the citations,” Davidson said.
The transition to active ticketing is supported by some community members who are concerned about the dangers of distracted driving.
Zoe Eugene, a student driver, said that seeing other motorists using phones is a significant concern for new drivers. He explained that it is difficult to know if surrounding drivers are focused on the road.
“You can’t really tell if they’re actually paying attention or if they’re looking at their phone ‘cause one glance down can cause, yeah, a lot of stuff to happen,” Eugene said.
If the 775 warnings issued by York County agencies had been issued as actual tickets, the drivers would have collectively owed the state approximately $142,000 in fines.
South Carolina’s strict hands-free requirements differ from the regulations in neighboring North Carolina.
In North Carolina, there is no current ban on holding a phone to talk while driving. However, texting while driving is illegal unless the vehicle is stopped at a red light or stop sign.
North Carolina drivers under age 18 are prohibited from using any electronic devices while behind the wheel.
VIDEO: South Carolina’s new hands-free driving law now in effect
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