Driving drunk on a moped would become illegal in South Carolina under a bill given initial approval.
COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) -- Driving drunk on a moped would become illegal in South Carolina under a bill given initial approval.
A House panel voted 5-0 on Tuesday to send the measure to the full Education and Public Works Committee.
Current state law specifically excludes mopeds from the definition of a motor vehicle. The measure would remove the exclusion, allowing officers to charge drunken moped drivers with driving under the influence.
Greg King owns Jade Moon Motorcycles in West Columbia. He’s afraid the proposed legislation could hurt his clientele, who rely on mopeds as their only form of affordable transportation.
“Eighty percent of my customers are people who have been forced to think again about transportation,” King says.
Law enforcement officers say people often get around on a moped after losing their driver's license. If they are stopped for driving drunk, they can be charged with public disorderly conduct. Officers supporting the change include Public Safety Director Mark Keel.
“It is not really about trying to save anybody. I kind of feel it is more about the money,” King says.
Republican Rep. Derham Cole of Spartanburg says legislators need to tighten the law to help prosecutors make the roads safer.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving believes lawmakers are headed in the right direction with this bill.
MADD released a statement Wednesday to WACH Fox News: “Impaired driving of any motorized vehicle whether is it a car or moped is a danger to those driving on South Carolina's roads. Though mopeds are smaller they can still be become a deadly weapon when operated under the influence.”
King doesn't know if this bill will have any effect on his business.
However, he worries changing the definition of moped to that of a motor vehicle could eventually lead lawmakers to enforce more regulations on mopeds.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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