S 692 Session 111 (1995-1996)
S 0692 General Bill, By Alexander, Courson, Giese, Leatherman, Martin,
M.T. Rose, Russell, Ryberg and Thomas
Similar(H 3694)
A Bill to amend Section 56-5-6540, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
relating to penalties for and enforcement of violations of the mandatory use
of seat belts provision, so as to delete the provision that both requires a
violation not to constitute negligence per se or contributory negligence and
not be admissible as evidence in a civil action.
03/30/95 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-13
03/30/95 Senate Referred to Committee on Transportation SJ-13
A BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-6540, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PENALTIES FOR AND
ENFORCEMENT OF VIOLATIONS OF THE MANDATORY
USE OF SEAT BELTS PROVISION, SO AS TO DELETE THE
PROVISION THAT BOTH REQUIRE A VIOLATION NOT TO
CONSTITUTE NEGLIGENCE PER SE OR CONTRIBUTORY
NEGLIGENCE AND NOT BE ADMISSIBLE AS EVIDENCE IN
A CIVIL ACTION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South
Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 56-5-6540 of the 1976 Code is amended
to read:
"Section 56-5-6540. (A) A person violating the provisions
of this article, upon conviction, must be fined not more than ten
dollars, all or part of which may be suspended. No court costs may
be assessed against the person convicted. No person may be fined
more than twenty dollars for any one incident of one or more
violations of the provisions of this article. No custodial arrest for a
violation of this article may be made, except upon a warrant issued
for failure to appear in court when summoned or for failure to pay
an imposed fine. A conviction for violation of this article does not
constitute a criminal offense.
(B) A law enforcement officer may not stop a driver for a
violation of this article in the absence of another violation of the
motor vehicle laws except when the stop is made in conjunction
with a driver's license check or registration check conducted at a
checkpoint established to stop all drivers on a certain road for a
period of time. A citation for a violation of this article must not be
issued without citing the violation that initially caused the officer to
effect the enforcement stop.
(C) A violation of this article does not constitute negligence
per se or contributory negligence and is not admissible as evidence
in a civil action."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the
Governor.
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