South Carolina is no longer one of the few remaining states without a texting ban. As of last Tuesday, it’s now illegal to text and drive in South Carolina. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, Governor Haley signed the new law last week. Under this new statewide texting ban, drivers can still use their phones while they’re stopped at red lights. South Carolina’s statewide texting ban makes it the 49th state to pass this type of legislation. Montana is only remaining state that still doesn’t have a statewide texting-while-driving law.
South Carolina’s Statewide Texting Ban
WLOS News also reports that law enforcement officers will write warnings for the first six months. After the six-month grace period, the fine for texting while driving is $50, but it won’t impact your insurance premiums. Jill Littlejohn with Greenville City Council wants drivers to know that it’s not about writing tickets and catching offenders, it’s about improving roadway safety across the state.
Just the Facts on Distracted Driving
- In June of 2011, over 196 billion text messages were sent or received across the U.S.
- Every day, more than nine people are killed in crashes involving distracted drivers.
- Over 1,060 people are injured in crashes involving distracted drivers each day.
- In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in distracted-driving crashes.
- In 2010, nearly one in five crashes where somebody was injured involved a distracted driver.
Focus on the Road
Drivers in North Carolina and South Carolina are encouraged to focus their full attention to the task of driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to remind drivers that distractions come in many forms. Eating fast food, applying makeup and changing the radio station can all be distracting behaviors behind the wheel.
Texting-While-Driving Accidents
If you’ve been injured due to the negligent or careless actions of another driver, contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Since initial police investigations can often be lacking, it’s a good idea to speak with a skilled lawyer about your case swiftly. Texting-while-driving and other forms of distracted driving aren’t always immediately apparent right after a crash, so it may be necessary to have an additional investigation conducted. The experienced team at Davis Law Group, P.A. can conduct an in-depth investigation to obtain evidence and help determine exactly what happened when you were injured.