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Home > Traffic_Offences > Driving Demerit Points > South Carolina

Demerit Points-South Carolina

If you are a violation-prone driver but will recognize your faults and so improve your driving so that you get no more points, your record will eventually be cleared. Under South Carolina driving law, points one year old are cut in half, and after two years they will be wiped out completely.

A provision in South Carolina driving law provides for reducing a driver's points by four upon successful completion of an approved defensive driving course. Only one such reduction in a three-year period is permitted under this provision.

Under South Carolina driving law, the following are violations of South Carolina traffic laws and the points for each:

Reckless driving - 6
Passing stopped school bus - 6
Hit-and run, property damage only - 6
Driving too fast for conditions, or speeding

Not more than 10 m.p.h. above the posted limit - 2
More than 10 m.p.h. above the posted limits - 4
25 m.p.h. or above posted limits - 6

Disobedience of any official traffic control device - 4
Disobedience to officer directing traffic - 4
Failing to yield right of way - 4
Driving on wrong side of road - 4
Passing unlawfully - 4
Turning unlawfully - 4
Driving through or within safety zone - 4
Failing to give signal, or giving improper signal, for stopping, turning or suddenly decreasing speed - 4
Following too closely - 4
Operating with improper brakes - 4
Operating with improper lights - 2
Shifting lanes without safety precaution - 2
Failing to dim lights - 2
Operating a vehicle in an unsafe condition - 2
Driving in improper lane - 2
Improper dangerous parking - 2
Improper backing - 2

License Cancellation

In accordance with South Carolina driving law, your license can be cancelled:

If you are a minor (under 18 years old) and your parent or guardian or whoever signed for you withdraws his or her signature from your license application
If you give false information on your application

Driving Under Suspension

Of course, if your license has been revoked, suspended or cancelled for violations of South Carolina traffic laws you must not drive a vehicle until the condition which brought about such an action is cleared. If you do and are apprehended and convicted, under South Carolina driving law you will be fined and/or imprisoned and your suspension will be doubled.

For a second conviction, there is a fine and/or imprisonment and the suspension time will again be double. For a third and subsequent offense you are liable to imprisonment and your license suspension will be double.

Driving Without a License

Under South Carolina driving law, the penalty for driving without a license includes a fine and/or imprisonment.

Habitual Offenders

An habitual offender driver law is in effect in South Carolina . Its aim is to remove from the highways those drivers whose driving records show they are a danger to others.

South Carolina traffic laws provide that any driver who accumulates three or more convictions for certain major offenses (listed below) or 10 or more convictions for moving violation for which four or more points are assigned under the point system within a three-year period may be classified as an habitual offender. When these conditions exits, the Department certifies the driving record.

Under South Carolina driving law, the serious offenses are:

voluntary or involuntary manslaughter involving a motor vehicle;
operating or attempting to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, narcotics or drugs, or unlawful alcohol concentration;
driving or operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner;
driving a motor vehicle while license, permit or privilege to drive a motor vehicle has been suspended, cancelled or revoked;
any offense punishable as a felony under the motor vehicle laws or any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;
failure of the driver of a motor vehicle involved in any accident resulting in the death or injury of any person to stop close to the scene of the accident and to report his identity.

In accordance with South Carolina driving law, once a driver has been classified a habitual offender, he will have his driver's license suspended for five years.

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