MORNING HEADLINES | It will be against state law starting Sept. 1 to hold a cell phone while driving in South Carolina. The Palmetto State is the 33rd state to have such a law.
Starting next month, anyone who violates the new law will get a warning through the end of February. When full enforcement begins on Feb. 28, 2026, violations will carry a $100 fine for the first offense. Subsequent offenses within a three-year period will result in a $200 fine and the addition of two points to a driver’s record.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster at a ceremonial bill signing on July 31 said the so-called “Hands Free and Distracted Driving Act” will protect people’s lives.
The law “makes it clear that when you’re driving that vehicle, you’ve got to have your hands on the wheel,” McMaster said. “You can’t be distracted. It’s just common sense. But, sometimes, it takes a law to remind everybody of that common sense.”
Exceptions include drivers who are parked or stopped, using a phone that requires voice-activated or hands-free option, using a phone navigation, music or podcasts without holding it, or reporting traffic accidents, hazardous conditions or medical emergencies to a public safety official.
In Friday’s issue of the Charleston City Paper
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In other headlines
Charleston police report success with teen curfew. Charleston police say the teen curfew on the peninsula has been a success, with very few citations issued since it went into effect earlier this summer.
Popular Sullivan’s Island creek is getting too shallow. Can it be deepened? A creek popular with kayakers and boaters has filled with silt, making the tributary that connects to the Intracoastal Waterway a short distance from Charleston Harbor nearly impossible to use at low tide, residents told a town committee this month.
Charleston rallies to serve unhoused, underserved families. Beneath the beauty and charm of Charleston lies a growing crisis of homelessness — one that some people never see.
Johns Island residents experience more FedEx delivery issues this year. Some Johns Island residents are experiencing delivery issues with FedEx despite providing specific delivery instructions.
First-ever Miss All American Pageant kicked off in Charleston. A historic name in American pageantry is making a highly anticipated return — and Charleston has been chosen as the host city for the inaugural Miss All American Pageant competition.
S.C. tax-free weekend right around the corner. The 72-hour event began at 12:01 a.m. Friday and runs through midnight on Sunday. During that time, shoppers won’t pay sales tax on a variety of items.
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