South Carolina Following-Distance & Headlight Rules
How far back to follow another vehicle, when to dim high beams for oncoming and following traffic, and the move-over law for emergency vehicles.
- Following-distance rule
-
Keep a minimum four-second following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. To check it, watch the rear of the vehicle ahead pass a fixed point such as a sign or pole, and count one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three, one-thousand-four; if you reach the same point before finishing the count, you are too close. Increase your following distance on slippery roads, at night, in fog or inclement weather, behind vehicles that must stop at railroad crossings (transit buses, school buses, hazardous-materials carriers), and behind large vehicles like trucks, buses, RVs, and trailer-towing vehicles.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 8: Safe Driving Tips, p. 8-5 to 8-7
- Dim high beams within (ft) — oncoming
-
500
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 11: Special Driving Situations, p. 11-1
- Dim high beams within (ft) — following
-
200
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 11: Special Driving Situations, p. 11-2
- Headlight requirements
-
Turn on your headlights during rain, snow, or fog (use low beams to cut glare), when daylight begins to fade, and when driving away from a rising or setting sun. Headlights make your vehicle visible to other roadway users, so use them whenever visibility is reduced. Use low beams when following a vehicle within 200 feet or when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet, and use high beams on dark stretches when no oncoming traffic is present.
- Motorcycle following rule
-
When following a motorcyclist, keep a minimum four-second following distance, and more in wet conditions. Motorcycle riders may need to change speed or lane position suddenly to avoid potholes, gravel, wet or slippery surfaces, pavement seams, railroad crossings, and grooved pavement, so the extra cushion gives you time to react.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 10: Sharing the Road, p. 10-7
- Cyclist safe-passing rule
-
South Carolina's manual instructs drivers to slow down and allow as much space as possible when approaching or passing a bicyclist, and to consider the bicyclist's speed when passing. The manual does not specify a numeric passing distance such as three feet, nor a full-lane-change requirement.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 7: General Driving, p. 7-16; Section 10, p. 10-3
- Move-over law (stopped emergency vehicles)
-
When you approach a stopped authorized emergency vehicle with its lights flashing, slow down and yield by changing into a lane farther from the emergency vehicle if traffic and safety conditions permit. If a lane change is unsafe, slow down and proceed with caution at a safe speed for traffic conditions. The move-over law covers law enforcement officers, emergency medical services, fire department personnel, and tow truck operators, and South Carolina posts move-over reminder signs along its roadways.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 10: Sharing the Road, p. 10-14 to 10-15
Every South Carolina number on one printable page.
Following-Distance & Headlight Rules plus every other South Carolina rule we track, bound into a glove-box-sized PDF.
Get the free PDF