South Carolina § 56-5-1535 - Endangerment of a highway worker; penalties; definitions.

§ 56-5-1535. Endangerment of a highway worker; penalties; definitions.

(A) A person commits endangerment of a highway worker if the person is operating a motor vehicle within a highway work zone at anytime one or more highway workers are in the highway work zone and in proximity to the area where the act or omission occurs and the person:

(1) drives through or around a work zone in any lane not clearly designated for use by motor vehicles traveling through or around a work zone; or

(2) fails to obey traffic control devices erected for the purpose of controlling the flow of motor vehicles through the work zone for any reason other than:

(a) an emergency;

(b) the avoidance of an obstacle; or

(c) the protection of the health and safety of another person.

(B)(1) A person who violates the endangerment of a highway worker provision where the highway worker suffers no physical injury must be fined not more than one thousand dollars and not less than five hundred dollars.

(2) A person who violates the endangerment of a highway worker provision where the highway worker suffers physical injury and the violation was the sole proximate cause of the injury must be fined not more than two thousand dollars and not less than one thousand dollars.

(3) A person who violates the endangerment of a highway worker provision where the highway worker suffers great bodily injury, as defined in Section 56-5-2945(B), and the violation was the sole proximate cause of the injury must be fined not more than five thousand dollars and not less than two thousand dollars.

(C) A person who violates Section 56-5-1535(A) must have two points assessed against his motor vehicle operating record or four points assessed against his motor vehicle operating record if an injury to the highway worker occurred at the time of the incident and the violation is the sole proximate cause of the injury.

(D) Any fine imposed pursuant to this section is mandatory and may not be waived or reduced below the minimum as provided in subsection (B). Sixty-five percent of the fine must be remitted to the Treasurer and deposited in a special account, separate and apart from the general fund, designated for use by the Department of Public Safety to be used for work zone enforcement. Twenty-five percent of the fine must be deposited in the State Highway Fund and designated for use by the Department of Transportation to hire off-duty state, county, or municipal police officers to monitor construction or maintenance zones. Ten percent of the fine must be remitted to the county governing body in which the charge was disposed, or the municipality if the charge was disposed in municipal court.

(E) No person shall be cited for endangerment of a highway worker for any act or omission otherwise constituting a violation under this section if the act or omission results, in whole or in part, from mechanical failure of the person's motor vehicle or from the negligence of a highway worker or another person.

(F) For purposes of this section:

(1) "Highway work zone" means an area of a roadway, bridge, shoulder, median, or associated right of way, where construction, maintenance, utility work, accident response, or other incident response is being performed. The work zone must be marked by signs, channeling devices, barriers, pavement markings, or work vehicles, and extends from the first traffic control device erected for purposes of controlling the flow of motor vehicles through the work zone, including signs reducing the normal speed limit, to the "END ROAD WORK" sign or the last temporary traffic control device. The signs, channeling devices, barriers, pavement markings, or work vehicles must meet state Department of Transportation standards, the provisions of Section 56-5-4700, or National Fire Protection (NFPA) standards, and must be installed properly.

(2) "Highway worker" means a person who is required to perform work in highway work zones, including:

(a) a person who performs maintenance, repair, or construction;

(b) a person who operates a truck, loader, or other equipment;

(c) a person who performs any other related maintenance work, as required;

(d) a public safety officer who enforces work zone-related transportation management or traffic control;

(e) a law enforcement officer who conducts traffic control or enforcement operations; and

(f) an officer or firefighter, an emergency medical services provider, or any other authorized person who removes hazards or who responds to accidents and other incidents.

(G) Magistrates and municipal court judges have exclusive jurisdiction pursuant to this section.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 409, SECTION 1; 1999 Act No. 17, SECTION 2; 2017 Act No. 81 (H.4033), SECTION 1, eff May 19, 2017.

Effect of Amendment

2017 Act No. 81, SECTION 1, rewrote the section, deleting the provision relating to speeding in work zones, creating the offense of "endangerment of a highway worker", and providing a penalty for this offense.