Speed limits, laws and fines in South Carolina
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The following is an overview of the laws, restrictions, and penalties associated with traffic violations in the state of South Carolina.
Speed limits in South Carolina
70 mph: rural highways
60 mph: urban interstates
60 mph: four-lane highways
55 mph: Four-lane bypasses (except Marion and Sumter) and most two-lane roads.
40 mph: dirt roads
35 mph: top speed in urban areas
30 mph: CBD (some listed as 25 mph)
30 mph: maximum speed in residential areas
South Carolina Code at Reasonable and Reasonable Speed
The law of maximum speed:
According to section 56-5-1520 of the SC Motor Vehicle Code, "No one shall operate a motor vehicle at a speed that is more than reasonable and reasonable under the circumstances and in view of existing and potential hazards."
Minimum speed law:
Sections 56-5-1560(a) and 56-5-1810(b) state:
"No one should drive a car at such a low speed that it interferes with the normal and reasonable movement of traffic."
"A person traveling at a slower speed than normal should drive in the right lane available for traffic, or as close as possible to the right curb or edge of the carriageway."
Due to differences in speedometer calibration, tire size, and inaccuracies in speed detection technology, it is rare for an officer to stop a driver for speeding less than five miles. However, technically, any excess can be considered a speed violation, so it is recommended not to go beyond the established limits.
Although it can be difficult in South Carolina to challenge a speeding ticket due to the absolute speed limit law, a driver can go to court and plead not guilty on the basis of one of the following:
The driver may object to the determination of the speed. To qualify for this protection, the driver must know how his or her speed was determined and then learn to disprove its accuracy.
The driver may claim that, due to an emergency, the driver violated the speed limit to prevent injury or damage to himself or others.
The driver may report a case of misidentification. If a police officer records a driver speeding and subsequently has to find him again in a traffic jam, he may have made a mistake and stopped the wrong car.
Speeding ticket in South Carolina
First-time offenders may:
Be fined up to $445
Be sentenced to up to 30 days in prison
Suspend the license for a period of three to six months.
Reckless driving ticket in South Carolina
Exceeding the speed limit by 25 mph is automatically considered reckless driving in this condition.
First-time offenders may:
Be fined up to $445
Be sentenced to up to 30 days in prison
Suspend the license for a period of three to six months.
Offenders may be required to attend safe driving courses and thus may have points deducted from their driving record.
