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.
Those who are operating a motor vehicle while drowsy may not have the ability to stop quickly, or they may react as a drunk driver may do. In some cases, they will fall asleep while the vehicle is going at a high rate of speed. Individuals may reduce the odds of becoming tired while driving by doing so in the late morning or other times of the day when they are alert.
Typically, a tired driver is deemed to be negligent if he or she causes a car accident. This means that a victim could be entitled to compensation from the responsible driver to pay for medical bills or lost wages. In some cases, multiple parties may be responsible for compensating a person hurt in an accident. An attorney may review photo, video or other evidence in a case to determine the best way to help an injured victim obtain a favorable outcome in the matter.