A bill that is known to improve safety for bicyclists is moving forward in South Carolina.

It’s a new world, folks.

Senate Bill S.812, introduced by Sen. Luke Rankin, is headed to the Senate floor. If it passes, South Carolina will join a growing list of states updating their laws to better match how people actually ride bikes. The bill moved through subcommittee with no opposition.

We put together a short brief on the bill here (note: an updated version of this brief has many logos of our wonderful regional partners included, & we’ll upload when there isn’t a time crunch on this): 

You can read the full bill text here: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/prever/812_20260324.htm

Track where it stands here: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=812

So what does this do?

At its core, this is simple.

At stop signs, people on bikes can treat them as yield signs. Slow down, look, go when it’s safe.
At red lights, you still stop, but proceed when safe to do so.

This handy image covers what this does:

That’s it.

To be clear: no one’s blowing through intersections, and anyone who does is committing a crime. It is critical to still yield or stop when needed. This just makes a safe, common way of riding legal.

And that matters more than people think!

Most bicycle crashes happen at intersections. The longer you’re sitting in one, the more exposed you are. Letting someone move through when it’s clear reduces that risk. It also makes behavior more predictable for drivers.

It also fixes a real gap in current law. South Carolina already has a “dead red” law that allows someone to proceed through a signal that doesn’t change after 120 seconds. That might make sense in a car. It makes a lot less sense on a bike, sitting exposed in an intersection waiting two full minutes for a light that may never detect you. This bill gives a clearer, safer option.

This isn’t new, either. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recognized these laws improve safety outcomes, and states across the country, red and blue, have already done this. Places like Arkansas and Oklahoma have adopted similar laws. It works.

We didn’t set out this year thinking we’d be involved in legislation. But when this came up, we made sure to show up and share information about why this is a known way to improve safety outcomes.

We’re thankful to the Greenville Spinners for reaching out to Sen. Rankin and helping get this moving. And we’re thankful for all of you supporting Palmetto Walk Bike. That support is what allows us to be in the room, share information, and be part of conversations like this.

We think this is a good one!

If you want to speak up, you can find your State Senator and share your thoughts here:
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php