Myrtle Beach Legal Blog

Drowsy drivers in South Carolina may not realize the risks that they are taking. Although most people recognize the dangers of drinking and driving, sleepiness impairs driving in a similar manner. Drowsiness reduces a driver's reaction times and ability to monitor the road. Twenty hours without sleep mimics the intoxication level of a person with a .08 blood alcohol concentration. For this reason, safety advocates say fatigue increases the chances of getting in a wreck by threefold.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that drowsy driving causes approximately 1,550 fatalities and 71,000 injuries every year. These figures, however, are dependent on police reports, and responding officers might not know that sleep deprivation impaired a driver. A report from the Governors Highway Safety Association put the number of deaths at about 5,000 for 2015. When the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety looked at the problem, however, its researchers concluded that drowsy drivers were responsible for 109,000 injuries and 6,400 fatalities annually.

Homeowners in South Carolina who have swimming pools should be aware of certain safety responsibilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an estimated 7.4 million swimming pools in the United States as well as 5 million hot tubs. The CDC also reports that 3,356 fatalities resulting from accidental non-boating drowning take place in the nation every year. For every child who is younger than 14 years old and dies from drowning, an additional five more children will have to receive some form of emergency medical care for nonfatal submersion.

Installing an alarm and a climb-resistant pool fence can help reduce some of the potential hazards. The two devices can prevent and warn off small children attempting to enter the pool without supervision as well as kids from the neighborhood who may sneak in.

When people in Myrtle Beach head to a store, movie theater or other public space, they don't expect to be injured during their trip. However, when business owners do not maintain their properties or clear away hazards, slip-and-fall accidents could pose a major risk. While many think of slip-and-fall accidents as minor problems resulting only in discomfort, people can be seriously injured, especially when falling from a significant distance or onto a hard or rocky surface. In addition, people with pre-existing disabilities may have extra reason to be concerned about the effect of such an accident.

There are a number of ways that people could be hurt in a business. Floors could be left wet and slippery with no warning sign to offer customers some notification of the need to protect themselves. Businesses may not pick up items scattered on the floor, leaving them as obstacles. The weather can also play a role in these types of accidents when a business fails to clear away ice and snow that could lead to slippery surfaces. Escalators and stairs present their own risks, especially if they are not properly maintained with mechanical defects or loose handrails.

It has been reported that 60 percent of adults in the United States have driven while drowsy. While South Carolina residents may not worry about driving while tired, it can be similar to driving while drunk. Those who have been awake for 24 straight hours are just as impaired as someone who has a blood alcohol content of .10 percent. In situations where someone is in a car with a drowsy driver, he or she may want to volunteer to drive.

If that is not possible, the driver should be encouraged to stop the car and take a nap. It can also be beneficial for someone to get a coffee or soda to help him or her perk up temporarily. Key signals that a driver is drowsy include excessive yawning or drifting out of the proper lane. Tired drivers may also have a hard time remembering where they are.