Who goes first? Every South Carolina right-of-way scenario, worked through.

South Carolina does not grant a funeral procession right of way by statute. Treat a procession as ordinary traffic: obey the signals and signs at the intersection yourself, and let the procession stay together as a courtesy rather than as a legal duty.

Nothing in S.C. Code Ann. Title 56, Chapter 5 (the Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways) gives a funeral procession right of way, authorizes procession vehicles to follow a lead car through a red light, or forbids cutting into or driving through a procession. A full-text search of Chapter 5 for 'procession' returns only two mentions, neither of them a right-of-way rule: Sec. 56-5-1930(C) exempts funeral processions from the requirement that vehicles in a caravan or motorcade leave passing space between them, and Sec. 56-5-4700(B) exempts funeral-home vehicles with a mounted oscillating red light from carrying additional signal lamps. Sec. 56-5-710(3) lets local authorities regulate or prohibit processions on their highways, so a city or county ordinance and a police escort, not state law, are what actually move a procession through an intersection. The South Carolina Driver's Manual (rev. 06/2024) has no funeral-procession entry at all. Bills to create a funeral-procession right-of-way section at Sec. 56-5-850 were introduced repeatedly (for example H.4615 in 2023-2024 and H.4472 in 2017-2018) and none was enacted: there is no Sec. 56-5-850 in the current code, which runs Sec. 56-5-820 straight to Article 7 at Sec. 56-5-910. In practice, a driver should not cut into a procession and should let escorted vehicles pass, but should not run a red light to stay with one.

On a two-lane road, yield to an approaching emergency vehicle using lights and siren by pulling immediately to the right edge or curb, clear of any intersection, stopping there, and staying put until it has passed. On a multi-lane road, yield by staying in or moving to a position that lets the emergency vehicle pass safely.

S.C. Code Ann. Sec. 56-5-2360(a) splits the duty by road type, which is unusual and is the part drivers get wrong. On a two-lane roadway, on the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle using both an audible signal and visual signals (or a police vehicle using either), the driver of every other vehicle 'shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible, to the right hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain in that position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police officer.' On a multi-lane roadway the statute does not order you to the curb: you 'shall yield the right-of-way and shall remain in, or move to a location that allows the emergency vehicle or police vehicle to pass safely.' Clearing the intersection matters both ways: do not stop inside an intersection, and do not block driveways. Subsection (b) preserves the emergency driver's own duty of due regard. South Carolina does not set a numeric minimum following distance behind an emergency vehicle in Sec. 56-5-2360; the general following-too-closely rule of Sec. 56-5-1930(A) (no closer than is reasonable and prudent) applies instead. Separately, Sec. 56-5-2370 requires you to yield to any authorized vehicle actually working on the highway when it displays flashing lights.

Yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, slowing down or stopping if that is what it takes to yield. South Carolina requires you to yield, not to make an automatic full stop, except that you must come to a complete stop for a pedestrian guided by a guide dog or carrying a raised white or white-and-red-tipped cane.

S.C. Code Ann. Sec. 56-5-3130(a) states the base duty: where traffic-control signals are not in place or not operating, the driver 'shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to yield to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.' So the trigger is your half of the road plus a pedestrian close enough from the other half to be in danger; it is not the whole width of the road. Crosswalks include unmarked crosswalks at intersections, which is why the Driver's Manual tells you that you must yield 'even if it is unmarked, including mid-block crosswalks marked by warning signs and pavement markings.' Where a signal is operating, Sec. 56-5-970(A)(1) makes vehicular traffic on a circular green, including traffic turning right or left, yield to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk, and Sec. 56-5-970(C)(3) makes a right-on-red or one-way-to-one-way left-on-red driver yield to pedestrians in an adjacent crosswalk. Sec. 56-5-3130(d) adds an anti-screening rule: when another vehicle is stopped at a marked or unmarked crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross, you may not overtake and pass it. A pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk yields to vehicles (Sec. 56-5-3150(a)), and Sec. 56-5-3230 still requires every driver to exercise due care to avoid any pedestrian. South Carolina does codify an absolute stop for blind and visually impaired pedestrians: Sec. 56-5-3200 requires the driver approaching a pedestrian crossing or attempting to cross while guided by a guide dog or carrying a raised or extended white or white-tipped-with-red cane to 'bring his vehicle to a full stop before arriving at such intersection or place of crossing' and take precautions before proceeding.

South Carolina does not codify a narrow-road or mountain-grade yield rule. No statute says the downhill driver backs up. What the law does require is that you keep to the right, give the oncoming driver at least half the usable roadway, and slow down on a narrow bridge or narrow winding road.

South Carolina has no counterpart to the mountain-highway provision found in many western state codes, which assigns the burden of backing to the vehicle facing downhill. A full-text search of S.C. Code Ann. Title 56, Chapter 5 for 'narrow', 'mountain', and backing duties turns up no such assignment. What governs instead is a set of general rules. Sec. 56-5-1810 requires driving on the right half of the roadway. Sec. 56-5-1830 governs vehicles proceeding in opposite directions: each passes to the right, giving at least one-half of the main-traveled portion of the roadway as nearly as possible. Sec. 56-5-1520(F) requires an appropriate reduced speed 'when traveling upon any narrow bridge, narrow or winding roadway.' Sec. 56-5-3810(a) restricts backing to movements that can be made safely and without interfering with other traffic. The Driver's Manual (rev. 06/2024) discusses narrow rural roads and narrow or single-lane bridges as hazards to slow for, but assigns no right of way between the two drivers. In practice on a one-lane road, the driver with the nearer or safer pullout gives way, and on a grade the driver with the better sight line and easier reverse (usually the one facing downhill) is the one who backs. That is courtesy and good judgment, not South Carolina law.

Yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, slowing down or stopping if that is what it takes to yield. South Carolina requires you to yield, not to make an automatic full stop, except that you must come to a complete stop for a pedestrian guided by a guide dog or carrying a raised white or white-and-red-tipped cane.

S.C. Code Ann. Sec. 56-5-3130(a) states the base duty: where traffic-control signals are not in place or not operating, the driver 'shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to yield to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.' So the trigger is your half of the road plus a pedestrian close enough from the other half to be in danger; it is not the whole width of the road. Crosswalks include unmarked crosswalks at intersections, which is why the Driver's Manual tells you that you must yield 'even if it is unmarked, including mid-block crosswalks marked by warning signs and pavement markings.' Where a signal is operating, Sec. 56-5-970(A)(1) makes vehicular traffic on a circular green, including traffic turning right or left, yield to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk, and Sec. 56-5-970(C)(3) makes a right-on-red or one-way-to-one-way left-on-red driver yield to pedestrians in an adjacent crosswalk. Sec. 56-5-3130(d) adds an anti-screening rule: when another vehicle is stopped at a marked or unmarked crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross, you may not overtake and pass it. A pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk yields to vehicles (Sec. 56-5-3150(a)), and Sec. 56-5-3230 still requires every driver to exercise due care to avoid any pedestrian. South Carolina does codify an absolute stop for blind and visually impaired pedestrians: Sec. 56-5-3200 requires the driver approaching a pedestrian crossing or attempting to cross while guided by a guide dog or carrying a raised or extended white or white-tipped-with-red cane to 'bring his vehicle to a full stop before arriving at such intersection or place of crossing' and take precautions before proceeding.

Yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, slowing down or stopping if that is what it takes to yield. South Carolina requires you to yield, not to make an automatic full stop, except that you must come to a complete stop for a pedestrian guided by a guide dog or carrying a raised white or white-and-red-tipped cane.

S.C. Code Ann. Sec. 56-5-3130(a) states the base duty: where traffic-control signals are not in place or not operating, the driver 'shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to yield to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.' So the trigger is your half of the road plus a pedestrian close enough from the other half to be in danger; it is not the whole width of the road. Crosswalks include unmarked crosswalks at intersections, which is why the Driver's Manual tells you that you must yield 'even if it is unmarked, including mid-block crosswalks marked by warning signs and pavement markings.' Where a signal is operating, Sec. 56-5-970(A)(1) makes vehicular traffic on a circular green, including traffic turning right or left, yield to pedestrians lawfully in the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk, and Sec. 56-5-970(C)(3) makes a right-on-red or one-way-to-one-way left-on-red driver yield to pedestrians in an adjacent crosswalk. Sec. 56-5-3130(d) adds an anti-screening rule: when another vehicle is stopped at a marked or unmarked crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross, you may not overtake and pass it. A pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk yields to vehicles (Sec. 56-5-3150(a)), and Sec. 56-5-3230 still requires every driver to exercise due care to avoid any pedestrian. South Carolina does codify an absolute stop for blind and visually impaired pedestrians: Sec. 56-5-3200 requires the driver approaching a pedestrian crossing or attempting to cross while guided by a guide dog or carrying a raised or extended white or white-tipped-with-red cane to 'bring his vehicle to a full stop before arriving at such intersection or place of crossing' and take precautions before proceeding.

Stop before reaching a school bus whose red lights are flashing, whether you are behind it or meeting it, and stay stopped until the bus moves or the red lights go off. The one exception: you do not have to stop for a bus on the other side of a multi-lane highway, which South Carolina defines as four or more lanes with at least two going each way.

S.C. Code Ann. Sec. 56-5-2770(A) requires the driver meeting or overtaking from either direction a school bus stopped on a highway or private road to stop before reaching the bus when its flashing red lights are operating, and not to proceed 'until the bus resumes motion or the flashing red lights are no longer actuated.' Subsection (B) carries the exception that varies by state: 'The driver of a vehicle need not stop upon meeting a stopped school bus when traveling in the opposite direction on a multi-lane highway or multi-lane private road.' Subsection (G) defines that term strictly by lane count, not by median: 'a highway or private road that consists of four or more traffic lanes, having at least two traffic lanes traveling in each direction.' A painted center line on a two-lane or three-lane road does not qualify, and there is no physical-barrier requirement. If you are behind the bus, you always stop, on any road, including a four-lane. The amber lights are a separate duty: Sec. 56-5-2770(C) forbids overtaking a school bus whose amber visual signals are actuated, so the amber warns you to hold back rather than pass. Amber and red are actuated whenever the bus is stopped or preparing to stop to receive or discharge children, but not when the bus is entirely off the roadway in a designated loading area (Sec. 56-5-2770(D)(1)). The manual adds the corresponding no-stop case: a bus in a passenger loading zone completely off the main travel lanes where pedestrians are not allowed to cross. Penalties are heavy: a first offense is a minimum $500 fine or up to 30 days (Sec. 56-5-2780(A)), and a violation causing great bodily injury or death is a felony.

South Carolina does not allow the Idaho-style safety stop. A bicyclist has the same duties as a driver and must come to a full stop at a stop sign and at a flashing red signal. The one narrow allowance is at a steady red traffic light, where a rider who stops for a full 120 seconds may then treat the light as a stop sign.

S.C. Code Ann. Sec. 56-5-3420 gives a person riding a bicycle on a roadway 'all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter,' subject only to the special bicycle provisions in Article 27 (Sec. 56-5-3410 through 56-5-3490). None of those special provisions relaxes stop-sign or flashing-red duties, so the ordinary rules apply: Sec. 56-5-2330(b) (stop signs) and Sec. 56-5-1000(a)(1), under which a flashing red requires a stop and then the rules applicable after stopping at a stop sign. There is no age exemption and no youth carve-out. The single South Carolina departure from driver rules is a dead-red allowance, not a safety stop: Sec. 56-5-970(C)(5) lets the driver of a motorcycle or moped or a bicycle rider proceed through a steady red light only if the rider 'comes to a full and complete stop at the intersection for one hundred twenty seconds' and then exercises due care and treats the device as a stop sign. That still requires a complete stop, and it applies to a steady red signal, not to a stop sign. Drivers should therefore expect a South Carolina cyclist to stop at stop signs exactly as a car does, and should not assume a rider rolling a stop sign is exercising a legal right.

When you approach a stopped emergency vehicle with its lights flashing, you must slow down significantly, and, if the road has at least four lanes with two going your way, change into a lane that is not next to it when you can do so safely. If changing lanes is impossible or unsafe, keep a safe speed for conditions and pass with caution.

S.C. Code 56-5-1538(G) states the duty. It is triggered by a stationary authorized emergency vehicle displaying alternately flashing red, red and white, blue, or red and blue lights, or amber or yellow warning lights. Subsection (I)(1) defines 'authorized emergency vehicle' for this section as any ambulance, police, fire, RESCUE, RECOVERY, or TOWING vehicle authorized by the State, a county, or a municipality to respond to a traffic incident, so tow and recovery operators are covered; South Carolina has NOT extended the duty to utility, highway maintenance, or waste collection vehicles, nor to an ordinary disabled vehicle showing hazard flashers. Two duties apply at once, and the second is easy to miss: the driver must 'proceed with due caution, significantly reduce the speed of the vehicle, AND' then either change lanes or, if that is impossible or unsafe, maintain a safe speed for road conditions. The statute names no specific number of miles per hour. The lane-change duty applies only on a highway of at least four lanes with at least two proceeding in the approaching driver's direction. Subsection (F) adds a general duty to keep your vehicle under control when approaching or passing an emergency scene or any authorized emergency vehicle stopped on or near the right of way with lights flashing. A violation is the misdemeanor of endangering emergency services personnel or operators of authorized emergency vehicles, punishable by a fine of $300 to $500.

Right on red is allowed statewide after a complete stop, unless a sign prohibits the turn. You may also turn left on red from a one-way street into a one-way street after stopping. In both cases yield to pedestrians in an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic already using the intersection.

S.C. Code 56-5-970(C)(3) covers both turns: except when a sign is in place prohibiting a turn, traffic facing ANY steady red signal may cautiously enter the intersection to turn right, or to turn left from a one-way street into a one-way street, after stopping as item (1) or (2) requires. Because the exception is written against item (2) as well as item (1), it reaches a steady RED ARROW, not just a steady circular red, which is unusual and worth flagging to a reader who learned the opposite rule in another state. The prohibition mechanism is a posted sign; South Carolina has no jurisdiction-wide ban of the New York City type. Item (5) adds a separate dead-red provision: the driver of a motorcycle or moped, or a bicycle rider, may proceed through a red light after a full and complete stop of 120 seconds, exercising due care and otherwise treating the signal as a stop sign.