S 0863 General Bill, By Shealy
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-4580 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO LIGHTING
 EQUIPMENT THAT MUST BE ATTACHED TO BUSES, TRUCKS, TRAILERS, SEMITRAILERS, AND
 POLE TRAILERS, TO REQUIRE A TRAILER OR SEMITRAILER THAT IS LOADED OR IS OF
 DIMENSIONS SO AS TO OBSCURE THE STOP LIGHT ON THE TOWING VEHICLE THEN THE
 TRAILER ALSO MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH ONE STOP LIGHT VISIBLE FROM BEHIND; AND TO
 AMEND SECTION 56-5-5150, RELATING TO USE OF SAFETY DEVICES WHEN TOWING
 VEHICLES, TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A VEHICLE IS TOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE OR TRAILER
 ON A PUBLIC ROAD OR HIGHWAY, THE TOWING VEHICLE MUST BE PROPERLY AND SECURELY
 ATTACHED TO THE TOWED VEHICLE OR TRAILER.

   12/10/13  Senate Prefiled
   12/10/13  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation
   01/14/14  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 51)
   01/14/14  Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation
                     (Senate Journal-page 51)

TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-4580 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO LIGHTING EQUIPMENT THAT MUST BE ATTACHED TO BUSES, TRUCKS, TRAILERS, SEMITRAILERS, AND POLE TRAILERS, TO REQUIRE A TRAILER OR SEMITRAILER THAT IS LOADED OR IS OF DIMENSIONS SO AS TO OBSCURE THE STOP LIGHT ON THE TOWING VEHICLE THEN THE TRAILER ALSO MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH ONE STOP LIGHT VISIBLE FROM BEHIND; AND TO AMEND 56-5-5150, RELATING TO USE OF SAFETY DEVICES WHEN TOWING VEHICLES, TO PROVIDE THAT WHEN A VEHICLE IS TOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE OR TRAILER ON A PUBLIC ROAD OR HIGHWAY, THE TOWING VEHICLE MUST BE PROPERLY AND SECURELY ATTACHED TO THE TOWED VEHICLE OR TRAILER.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 56-5-4580(6) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(6)    On every trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer weighing three thousand pounds gross or less, on the rear two reflectors, one on each side. If a trailer or semitrailer is loaded or is of dimensions so as to obscure the stop light on the towing vehicle then the vehicle trailer also must be equipped with one stop light visible from behind;"

SECTION    2.    Section 56-5-5150 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-5-5150.    When a vehicle is towing another vehicle or trailer on a public road or highway, the towing vehicle must be properly and securely attached to the towed vehicle or trailer by a safety chain, cable, or equivalent device in addition to the regular drawbar, tongue, trailer hitch, or other connection. The safety connections or attachments must be of sufficient strength to maintain connection of the towed vehicle or trailer to the pulling vehicle under all conditions while the towed vehicle or trailer is being pulled by the towing vehicle. The provisions of this section do not apply to vehicles using a hitch known as a fifth wheel and kingpin assembly."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.