Proposed Charleston ordinance to crack down on driving in flood water

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – City of Charleston leaders have a new plan to prevent damage and safety risks caused by travelling through flooded roadways.

“If you see a flooded road in Downtown Charleston, common sense should tell you ‘don’t go through it.’ Well now not only common sense is going to tell you that, so is our city ordinance,” said Charleston City Councilman Mike Seekings.

On Monday, Charleston’s Public Safety Committee will take up a proposed ordinance that would make it unlawful to travel through flooded areas going over five miles per hour and in a manner that causes waves and wakes – and furthermore, damage.

The rule would apply to motor vehicles, boats, and watercraft on any street, road, highway, bridge, or alley that is flooded or inundated.

“What we’ve brought forward is an ordinance to basically tell people if a road is impassable, if a road is flooded, don’t drive down it. Because not only are you endangering yourself, you’re creating problems for people who live in that area, who work in that area,” Seekings told News 2. “Every time you drive down a flooded street, you create a new mini storm. You create a wake, a wave. Those are unacceptable things during times of storms.”

If the ordinance is passed, leaders said violators will face a fine.

Hunter Clark lives in a flood-prone area near Colonial Lake and said sometimes there is no other choice when trying to get home.

“It sounds a little shortsighted. Like how am I supposed to get home? There’s not a ton of places to park and sometimes you do have to drive through it,” Clark said when sharing his initial thoughts on the ordinance. “Obviously preventing people from getting hurt is good, like you don’t want to get your car stuck and I’m sure that causes a huge headache for everybody, but yeah, I think there has to be some sort of middle ground.”

The safety of motorists and first responders is also a driving force for the ordinance.

 “For those who think we’re overreaching here, I can just tell you we’re not. This is something that’s needed just to remind people to look, think, listen, before you act. And when it comes to flooded streets in Charleston, and in particular on the peninsula, just don’t drive through them. You don’t have to, don’t drive through them, and if you do, follow the rules,” Seekings added.

Seekings urged people not to drive around barriers. The proposed ordinance states the rule will not apply to emergency vehicles engaged in emergency operations. If it passes on Monday, it will then go to city council.