H 4498 General Bill, By Putnam
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 56-5-3895 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE TO BLOCK
 THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY; AND TO
 AMEND SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO THE POINT SYSTEM ESTABLISHED FOR THE
 EVALUATION OF A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BLOCKING AN
 INTERSECTION IS A FOUR POINT VIOLATION.

   12/03/15  House  Prefiled
   12/03/15  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/12/16  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 83)
   01/12/16  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 83)

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-3895 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE TO BLOCK THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AND TO PROVIDE A PENALTY; AND TO AMEND SECTION 56-1-720, RELATING TO THE POINT SYSTEM ESTABLISHED FOR THE EVALUATION OF A PERSON'S DRIVING RECORD, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BLOCKING AN INTERSECTION IS A FOUR POINT VIOLATION.

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

SECTION    1.    Article 31, Chapter 5, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 56-5-3895.    It is unlawful for a motor vehicle to block the flow of traffic entering an intersection when the motor vehicle is not disabled. A driver of a motor vehicle that violates this provision is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred dollars and have four points assessed against his motor vehicle operating record."

SECTION    2.    Section 56-1-720 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-1-720.    There is established a point system for the evaluation of the operating record of persons to whom a license to operate motor vehicles has been granted and for the determination of the continuing qualifications of these persons for the privileges granted by the license to operate motor vehicles. The system shall have as its basic element a graduated scale of points assigning relative values to the various violations in accordance with the following schedule:

VIOLATION                                                                    POINTS

Reckless driving                                                                                6

Passing stopped school bus                                                            6

Hit-and-run, property damages only                                                6

Driving too fast for conditions, or

speeding:

(1)    No more than 10 m.p.h. above

the posted limits                                                                    2

(2)    More than 10 m.p.h. but

less than 25 m.p.h. above the

posted limits                                                                        4

(3)    25 m.p.h. or above the

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 decreased speed                                        4

Blocking an intersection                                                                    4

Shifting lanes without safety precaution                                        2

Improper dangerous parking                                                            2

Following too closely                                                                        4

Failing to dim lights                                                                        2

Operating with improper lights                                                        2

Operating with improper brakes                                                    4

Operating a vehicle in unsafe condition                                        2

Driving in improper lane                                                                2

Improper backing                                                                        2"

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