Did you know that pulling over and stopping for a funeral procession is not a law in South Carolina?
But having an obscene bumper sticker affixed to your car is.
No drinking while you’re driving — we all know that — but it’s also illegal to have any open container of alcohol held by passengers in the car.
Here are some of the lesser known traffic laws, some you may have forgotten about and some you might think are laws but are not.
Bicyclists have as much right to be on the road as people driving motor vehicles. Steer clear.
You must turn on your blinker at least 100 feet from the street you want to turn onto. No “oh, gosh, there’s my turn, lemme let people know now as I’m turning.” Another blinker matter is if it’s not working, use hand signals like the old folks once did.
If you have your windshield wipers on, turn your headlights on, too. This is not for you. This is so other drivers can see your car in the rain and fog.
Do not pull out of a business without stopping. Completely. No pausing. Even if you look and see not one vehicle. Full stop.
No watching videos while driving. This sounds obvious but Alabama legislators commanded their residents not to wear blindfolds while driving. In South Carolina, you cannot have a video device in the front seat. Take a hint from the factory-installed headrest location of screens — they are for people in the back seat.
Everyone knows to wear a seat belt. But did you know you can be pulled over for not buckling up? No other violations needed. That’s been the law since 2005. The U.S. Department of Transportation says 90% of motorists in South Carolina comply. That’s based on crash data and is on par with the national average. New Hampshire has the worst rate, 75%, California the best, 97%.
Do not let people hold onto or attach a tether to your car to pull them on a bike, sled, skateboard or just about anything the creative class can imagine. It’s called skitching and it’s also called illegal., Rangeley Bailey, a lawyer with Jebaily Law Firm in Florence said.
Do not drive slowly in the left lane. Not a suggestion. No passing in work zones, the Hammack Law Firm in Greenville says in its list of strange driving laws. Move over when law enforcement or other emergency vehicles are on the side of the road with lights on or slow down if you can’t get over.
As we said earlier, the idea of pulling over for a funeral procession may be considerate and something your grandparents did, but it is not a law. In fact it can be a hazard in more urban areas and on two-lane highways. Often, funeral homes hire escorts from law enforcement to guide processions to the cemetery.
Eighty percent of people responding to a survey by the AAA said they have driven with a pet in their lap. Lucky for them it’s not illegal, even in law-heavy California, but AAA and law enforcement officers say don’t do it. Like texting (which is illegal), animals in laps are a distraction. AAA said the math is against you in a crash. A 10-pound dog at 50 mph will exert 500 pounds of pressure. Not good. It’s even worse if the dog is in your lap and the airbag deploys.
Source: The State
