South Carolina launches operation to target distracted driving

By Kaye Collins

South Carolina Law Enforcement is responding swiftly after a series of recent events in which state troopers were hit by vehicles while performing their duties on the roadside. During a press conference on Monday, state and local officials revealed a significant enforcement initiative regarding the state’s Move Over Law, as well as a wider effort to combat distracted driving, which includes the recently enacted Hands Over Law.

The initiative comes after three South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers were hit within the last month while performing routine traffic stops. One of those troopers was killed, another remains hospitalized, and the third is recovering at home.

Trooper Dennis Ricks had served with the SCHP for two years. He was struck by a vehicle on August 10 while walking back to his patrol car during a traffic stop on I-26 in Orangeburg County.

Drivers get warnings now but face fines up to $500 after the 180-day grace period.

Public roads inherently pose a certain level of risk regardless of your location, which is why every nation implements regulations designed to ensure public safety. In South Carolina, law enforcement is set to intensify their focus on two primary hazards. They will be monitoring for individuals engaged in distracted driving and those who do not reduce speed and change lanes for vehicles that are stopped on the shoulder.

Creatively named ‘Operation Keep Us Safe,’ this weeklong campaign involves the state Department of Safety, Highway Patrol, and 46 county law enforcement agencies. Their objective is to enforce compliance with the state’s hands-free and slow down, move over laws.

The initiative follows a series of roadside incidents, which resulted in three troopers being injured or killed within a single month. One of the casualties was First Class Trooper Dennis D. Ricks, marking the first South Carolina trooper to lose their life in the line of duty since 2017.

Reasons for Stricter Enforcement “I’m at a loss for how to make people aware of the issues beyond their phones, personal vehicles, and individual experiences. However, I am certain that their indifference, poor decision-making, and disregard for the lives of others must come to an end. This has gone on long enough,” stated Col. Christopher Williamson, Commander of the Highway Patrol, in an interview with WYFF. Officers indicate that the threat is all to recognizable.

One officer remembered narrowly escaping a sideswipe from a truck driver under the influence a few years back. Law enforcement and regular motorists encounter considerable risks whenever they are on the shoulder of a highway. Although the law requiring drivers to slow down and move over has been in effect since 1996, it is evident that officers recognize the necessity to increase awareness regarding this issue.

What the laws require in South Carolina, similar to many other states, the slow-down, move-over law mandates that drivers reduce their speed and change lanes when they encounter flashing lights on the roadside. Those who violate this law may be charged with a misdemeanor and face fines ranging from $300 to $500.

Conversely, a new regulation concerning cell phone usage in vehicles came into effect on September 1. According to the hands-free law, drivers are prohibited from holding or supporting a device while their vehicle is in motion. During a 180-day grace period, officers will issue warnings; after this period, fines will begin at $100 and can increase to $200, along with license points for repeat offenders.

Over 2,000 individuals received tickets within a five-day span for breaching South Carolina’s Move Over Law, as reported by law enforcement authorities. On Monday, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety unveiled data from the state’s Operation Keep Us Safe program.

The initiative was initiated by the highway patrol and occurred from September 15 to 19, with the objective of safeguarding law enforcement personnel, first responders, tow truck operators, and others who operate near the highway by enforcing the state’s Move Over and Hands-Free regulations.

The enforcement of the state’s Move Over law, which mandates that drivers reduce speed and shift lanes away from emergency vehicles, has been a continuous priority for state law enforcement officials this year.

In June, the SCDPS published dash and body camera footage that captured troopers narrowly escaping being hit while performing their duties on South Carolina highways.

Their efforts intensified last week following a series of incidents in which three troopers were struck by vehicles, one of whom tragically lost his life, all occurring within a month.

As reported by SCDPS, the highway patrol and state transport police issued a total of 1,815 tickets during the five-day operation. Additionally, law enforcement agencies across the state reported a total of 2,383 citations for the Move Over Law during the same period.

Furthermore, 544 warnings were given for breaches of the Move Over law, along with 152 warnings issued for violations of the Hands-Free driving law.

According to the FBI, the leading cause of death for police in the first half of 2024 was accidental motor vehicle accidents. That danger extends not just to officers but anyone sitting on the side of the road as traffic passes.

It includes firefighters, construction workers and everyday motorists waiting for road assistance due to their vehicle being stranded. According to the AAA, almost 1,900 people were hit outside of their disabled vehicle between 2017 and 2021.