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  • South Carolina Legislature Considers Enhanced Safety Measures for ATV's
    Apr 05, 2011

    South Carolina lawmakers are once again considering legislation that would provide strickter safety regulations for young ATV riders. The regulation, also known as Chandler's Law, named for 16-year-old Chandler Saylor who died in 2003 after sustaining a traumatic brain injury while riding an ATV, would impose age limits, helmt requirements, and mandatory safety training for ATV riders under the age of 16. Legislators have been working to pass this regulation since 2004.

    Chandler's Law was vetoed twice by former Governor Mark Sanford, however, Gov. Nikki Haley has said she will sign it. Only a few of the aspects of the bill have been changed including a reduction in the minimum age for riders from 9 years old to 6 years old.

    In recent years, fatalities resulting from children's use of ATV's has double in recent years. In fact, according to a national study, accident rates for riders under the age of 18 increased 150% from 1997 to 2006. Child safety advocates estimate that 450 children in South Carolina are treated for ATV-related injuries each year and brain injuries and spinal cord injuries are the most frequent. South Carolina is one of only 6 states nationwide that does not restrict ATV use by children.

    The passage of this law, which many are calling common sense, would mean safer guidelines for those who enjoy ATV use. Chandler's Law would be there to protect young riders from the devastating effects of injuries resulting from unsafe use.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Boat Capsizes, Seven Rescued
    Sep 09, 2010

       Seven people have been rescued off the coast of Charleston, S.C., including three children.

       A boat that capsized Sunday about 30 miles off the S.C. coast was carrying four adults, as well as the three children.

       The wife of the owner of the 38-foot powerboat notified the Coast Guard Saturday night about 10 p.m. that the boat was overdue.

       The survivors were located about 6 a.m. Sunday morning by two Coast Guard helicopters out of Savannah, GA. All seven were airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).

       The cause of the accident is still unknown.

       Coast Guard crews from Charleston and Elizabeth City, N.C. also helped with the search.

     

     

     

     

     

     

      
        










     

  • School Bus Combusts
    Sep 09, 2010

       No students were injured when a school bus randomly burst into flames Wednesday behind Hillcrest Middle School in Sumter County.

       Driver Jason Hice said he heard a pop, and drivers around him started yelling "Fire!"

       Hice was driving the bus from the maintenance shop to the bus yard. No students were on the bus at the time.

       Apparently, the fire sparked when the turbo charger blew hot oil on the manifold, according to County Supervisor Frank Waggoner. An investigation will be conducted by his office.

       Waggoner said the bus could be saved. His office rebuilt a similarly burnt bus three years ago, but it will take several months.











      

  • Child Car Seats Evaluated
    Sep 08, 2010

       Some child booster seats are just not "up" to par, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Of the 72car seats evaluated by the IIHS, 36 fall short and 8 are not recommended.

       In some cases, shoulder belts fell off the shoulder or were too close to a child's neck, or lap belts were too high on a child's stomach.

       Other seats, however, were recommended as "good bets" or "best bets."




















  • Holiday Checkpoints Yield 134 Arrests, Citations
    Sep 07, 2010

       Three holiday safety checkpoints run by the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office and 16 other area departments over the long Labor Day weekend have yielded 134 arrests and citations.

       The checkpoints were conducted along U.S. 17, N.C. 179, Hickman Road and Country Club Road in Calabash, according to Brunswick County Sheriff's Sgt. April Stanley. Fifteen DUI's were issued as well as 22 expired registration violations.

       Also issued were the following:

           Driving with license revoked: 13
          
           No operator's license: 11
          
           Expired inspection: 10
          
           Possession of marijuana: 9

           Possession of drug paraphernalia: 9

           Equipment violation:  8

           Underage consumption of alcohol: 5

           Underage possession of alcohol: 4

           No insurance: 3

           Seatbelt violation: 3

           Revoked registration: 2

           Provisional licensee: 2

           Child restraint violation: 2

           Helmet violation: 2

           Open container of alcohol in passenger area: 1

           Fleeing to elude arrest: 1

           Fictitious registration: 1

           Aiding and abetting a DUI: 1

           Failure to stop for blue light and siren: 1

           Resisting arrest: 1

           Possession of a schedule IV drug (Citalopram): 1















  • Conway Proposes New Corridors
    Sep 07, 2010

       The look of highways leading into Conway, S.C. could soon change, if a unified development ordinance being developed by the city passes.

       The proposals would affect such things as landscaping, sign size, buffering and building setbacks, and are subject to numerous meetings and public hearings.

       "The highway corridors are the face of the community," said Conway Mayor Alys Lawson.

       The new rules would not affect developments already in place, Lawson said, unless the property use changed or it were vacant for 180 days prior to being reinvigorated.

       The city wants the corridors to reflect the rest of the town's values, including livability, historical value, trees and sidewalks. The corridor "facelifts" would involve land within the city limits along U.S. 501, 501 Business, S.C. 544, U.S. 701, U.S. 378, S.C. 90 and S.C. 905.

       The city has been working with consultants for months to write the ordinances. Conway is also updating it's land use plan, which is done only once a decade.












  • Vehicle Checkpoints Set For County
    Sep 02, 2010

       Horry County Police will be conducting a number of safety checkpoints throughout Horry County this September, according to a police department news release.

       The checkpoints, which will check for DUI's and vehicle and driver license violations, will be conducted at various dates and times throughout the month.










     

     

  • Thousands Of Kia Cars Recalled
    Sep 02, 2010

       About 35,000 Soul and Sorento vehicles are being recalled by Kia Motors for faulty wiring on interior lighting panels that could be a fire hazard.

       Around 24,000 2010 Kia Soul compact wagons and more than 11,000 2011 Kia Sorento sedans have been recalled.

       Kia told the government that some wiring harnesses in the Soul's front door trim panels and the Sorento's front and rear door trim panels may have been improperly soldered, possibly leading to an electrical short.

       This short could cause fires, according to the South Korean company.

       No injuries or accidents have yet been reported. Owners will be notified of the defect later this month, officials said, and the wiring harnesses will be replaced.

















  • Kids And Golf Carts: Complaints Lodged
    Sep 02, 2010

       A number of complaints about golf carts on streets and highways have been lodged recently at the Marion County Sheriff's Office, according to a press release issued today.

       Most of the complaints involve children under 16 operating the vehicles, says Marion County Sheriff Mark Richardson. "We are afraid that one of these children will get run over, hurt or killed by a passing vehicle," he explained.

       The Sheriff's Office has issued the following rules for operating a golf cart:

           1.  Have a valid SC drivers license.

           2.  Have a permit from the SCDMV ($5).

           3.  Have proof of insurance.

           4.  Operate only during daylight hours.

       The law says that someone who has done these four things, or his agent or employee, may then:

           1.  Operate the golf cart on a secondary street or highway within two miles of his residence or place of business during daylight hours only.

           2.  Cross a primary street or highway while traveling along a secondary street or highway within two miles of his residence or place of business during daylight hours only.

       Parents who allow children to violate this law can be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. If convicted, they face a fine up to $3,000 and up to 3 years in prison, or both. If a child is hurt or killed, parents can be charged with unlawful conduct toward a child, a 10-year felony.













     


  • New Cars May Get 'Green' Grades
    Sep 01, 2010

       New cars and trucks may soon get a fuel efficiency grade if a recent government proposal to add letter grades to showroom stickers passes. The grade would show the vehicle's overall fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions.

       Another option being considered to convey such information is an update of the current sticker to compare the vehicle's fuel economy and tailpipe emissions. The showroom stickers haven't been significantly updated in 30 years, according to the Transportation Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.

       The government wants the labels to reflect emerging vehicle technologies. The changes are required under a 2007 energy law.

       Under the letter grade option, an average vehicle on fuel efficiency and emissions would receive a B-, with electric vehicles rating an A+. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles would earn an A, and the Ford Fusion hybrid, Honda Civic hybrid and Toyota Prius, all gas-electric hybrids, would receive an A-.

       The Toyota Camry, the best-selling passenger car in America, would get a B or B-, depending on the vehicle's engine. The lowest grade, a D, would go to the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

       "From electric to plug-in hybrid vehicles, we think a new label is absolutely necessary to help consumers make the right decision for their wallet and for the environment," said Gina McCarthy, the EPA's top air pollution official.

       Automakers fear the grades may affect sales, preferring a broad range of vehicle technologies to improve fuel efficency. The public can email comments about the proposal to newlabels@epa.gov. A final plan is expected early next year.














     

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