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TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-4630, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PLACEMENT OF A RED LIGHT, LANTERN, OR FLAG UPON A LOAD THAT EXTENDS FOUR FEET OR MORE BEYOND THE BED OR BODY OF A VEHICLE, SO AS TO REVISE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UPON WHICH THE RED LIGHT, LANTERN, OR FLAG MUST BE PLACED UPON THE LOAD, AND TO PROVIDE THAT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AN AMBER STROBE LIGHT MUST BE AFFIXED TO THE LOAD.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 56-5-4630 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-5-4630. (A) Whenever the load upon a vehicle extends to the rear four feet or more beyond the bed or body of the vehicle, there the vehicle must be equipped with, displayed at the extreme rear end of the load, at the times specified in Section 56-5-4450, a red light or lantern plainly visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the sides and rear. The red light or lantern required under this section is in addition to the red rear light required upon every vehicle. At any other time there must be displayed at the extreme rear end of the load a red flag or cloth not less than twelve inches by twelve inches and hung making the entire area visible to the driver of a vehicle approaching from the rear. the following safety equipment:
(1) securely affixed as close as practical to the end of the projecting load, one amber strobe-type lamp equipped with a multi-directional type lens mounted so as to be visible from the rear and side of the projecting load. If the mounting of one strobe lamp cannot be accomplished to be visible from both sides and rear of the projecting load, multiple strobe lamps must be utilized to meet the visibility requirements. The strobe lamp shall flash at a rate of at least sixty flashes per minute and must be plainly visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the sides and rear of the projecting load. The lamp must be operating any time when the vehicle is operated on a highway or parked on the shoulder or immediately adjacent to the traveled portion of a public roadway; or
(2) a red light or lantern plainly visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the side or rear must be displayed at the extreme rear of the load if the strobe light required by this section becomes temporarily inoperable while transporting a load between points.
(B) The projecting load must be marked at the extreme rear of the load with a red flag or cloth not less than twelve inches by twelve inches and hung so that the entire area is visible to the driver of a vehicle approaching from the rear.
(C) Utility companies when responding to an emergency situation such as caused by storms or accidents are exempt from the provisions of this section."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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