In 1971 J. Standard Baker Quoted " Drivers Towing Trailers  Are Four (4) Times As Unsafe As Those In Cars Alone! 

Work in progress!

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-5-245 SO AS TO DEFINE THE TERM "UTILITY TRAILER" AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE EQUIPMENT THAT MUST BE USED TO ATTACH A TOWING VEHICLE TO A UTILITY TRAILER.

Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as "Charles & Corey's Law

SECTION 2. Section 56-5-5150 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 56-5-5150. (A) As used in this section, a 'vehicle' includes, but is not limited to a utility trailer. When a vehicle is towing another vehicle on a public road or highway, the towing vehicle must be attached to the towed vehicle by a two safety chain, chains or cable devices, or equivalent device in addition to the regular drawbar, tongue, trailer hitch, or other connection trailer coupler with trailer ball and hinch pin.

(B) The safety connections or attachments must be of sufficient strength to maintain connection of the towed vehicle to the pulling vehicle under all conditions while the towed vehicle is being pulled by the towing vehicle.

(C) The provisions of this section do not apply to vehicles using a hitch known as a fifth wheel and kingpin assembly. No part of this section shall conflict with the requirements of a vehicle subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

(D) A violation of this section is subject to a penalty not to exceed five hundred dollars or thirty days imprisonment.

(E) The provisions of this section do not apply to vehicles or utility trailers:

(1) used for farming purposes; or

(2) that utilize a chain that is adequate for the weight capacity of the trailer."

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Additional Elements:

All Utility Trailers Must be subjected to all safety standards with no exclusions for "Farmers" when they take their trailer on a public roadway.

All Utility trailers must have by year 2022 a Stamped Vin Number located on the Left side of the hitch were every law enforcement officer can quickly and easily identify and run the vin number against the license tag of the trailer.

By 2022 If any Utility Trailer, horse trailer, boat trailer or any trailer under 3,000 GVWR does not have a license tag attached to the trailer all law enforcement officers will have a "Primary" reason to perform a traffic stop and the trailer will be considered "Stolen" until proven otherwise.

All homemade trailers, hitches must be certified and have a product Liability insurance policy of at Least $1,000,000 dollars. Note this insurance policy is the same as any other commercial company that produces products for "Consumer Use"

What gives a legal right for anybody especially a farmer to produce a trailer for sale and not have it subjected to Safety Standards? Would you buy a baby seat for your child homemade?

No more exclusions for "Farmers" If they tow a trailer onto any public roadway...they are subjected to all safety standards.....Do we "Exclude Farmers from the Seat Belt Law"? Do we "Exclude Farmers From Drunk driving Laws" Then why do they get a free pass?

All trailers by 2021 all means all....must have working taillight's and at least 8.33 feet of DOT reflector tape on the Rear of the trailer.

By 2022 an inspection process of at least every 2 years must be implemented.....the HITCH, Ball, The Spring, The lights, and the rust of the trailer including the Roller Bearings must be inspected as a vehicle was never designed to be hit by a flying trailer.

You might say we don't have vehicle inspections.... True but you see you are in the vehicle and if you choose not to maintain the vehicle at least you might get hurt or killed also.

When you tow a trailer these people don't care because the trailer comes off the hitch and hits others and kills them.


That is what a good law is about.

We can create new jobs...not to rip people off...but to help people not kill others by their trailer.

Penllity:

Nothing gets people to do something than a fine.

1. No working taillight's First warning....No fine.
Second infraction - $200 fine
Third infraction - $500 fine
Fourth Infraction Suspended License

2. If your trailer has no safety chains after 2022
First Infraction $1,000 fine
Second Infraction $5,000 fine
Third Infraction Misdeamnor and 30 days in Jail.

3. If your trailer comes loose and causes havoic....you spend 30 days in jail becuase of your trailer causing havoic

4. If your loose trailer comes off and kills anybody then you are charged with mansalughter and will spend at least 5 years in jail mandatory....and then one month added on for the age of the person you killed.

Again...you might say these fines are excessive...but NHTSA gives a life value of over $8,000,000 dollars

The aim of the penlity is to encourrage people to take thel lives of others as serious as they take their own.

Nobody has the right to simp;ly kill others with a loose trailer just because they can....