DUI Education
The South Carolina Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (ADSAP) is a statewide education and treatment program designed for individuals who are:
* Convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) * Arrested under the state's Zero Tolerance Law by which a driver under the age of 21 has a blood alcohol concentration of .02% or greater or refuses the breathalyzer test or * Administrative License Revocation Law (ALR) when a driver has a blood alcohol concentration of .15% or greater or refuses the breathalyzer test. * Referred by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources for boating under the influence (BUI).
Because thousands of South Carolinians are killed or injured in alcohol or drug related crashes every year, ADSAP works with the DUI offender in an attempt to reduce the number of such crashes that result in death, injury, or property damage. ADSAP services are certified by the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services and are available in each of the state's 46 county alcohol and drug abuse authorities.
South Carolina law requires a person whose driver's license has been suspended as the result of a DUI conviction, ALR or Zero Tolerance Suspension to successfully complete an ADSAP before he or she can apply to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) for reinstatement of his or her drivers license. The SCDPS will not consider reinstatement until it receives notification of successful completion of the program.
Upon enrollment in ADSAP, each person is assessed to determine the problem areas that most likely contributed to the DUI. Education or treatment services will be provided to help each person reduce the risk of committing another DUI. Because services are based on individual need, the time period for ADSAP varies for each participant. First time DUI offenders who meet certain requirements may obtain a provisional drivers license from the SCDPS which will allow a person to drive while attending ADSAP services. The provisional license is issued to persons who have obtained SR22 insurance and have enrolled in the ADSAP program. The provisional license is valid for a period not to exceed 6 months provided the person also continues to successfully participate in ADSAP. The provisional license is non-renewable and will expire at the end of 6 months from date of issue. While many persons complete the program by the end of their suspension period, it could take others up to 12 months. All persons convicted of DUI may experience interruption in driving privileges during the suspension period.
Many states will require persons convicted of a DUI on an out of state drivers license to meet South Carolina's DUI program requirements prior to being re-licensed. To find out your state's requirement, you must contact the DMV in your home state. The South Carolina Interstate ADSAP office (843-821-5412) can assist you in identifying a program in your home state that will satisfy South Carolina's requirements. If you would like to obtain a South Carolina drivers license, you must complete South Carolina's requirement. For more information on the ADSAP program at Shoreline Behavioral Health Services please email becky@shorelinebhs.org or call (843) 365-8884.