drowsy driving

Research published in the online journal, PLOS ONE, found that between 6-10 percent of all auto accidents are caused by fatigued (or drowsy) drivers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowsy driving may be a factor in 7,500 fatal auto crashes each year in our country.

Unfortunately, as the National Sleep Foundation reports, 41 percent of those who participated in one AAA survey admitted they had fallen asleep while driving, including 10 percent who said they had done it within the previous year.

As this research shows, drowsy driving is both dangerous and, unfortunately, highly common on our roads. It must be investigated as a possible cause in any auto accident case.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an auto accident in Florence or elsewhere in South Carolina, contact Jebaily Law Firm to receive a thorough investigation of your case. With more than 100 years of combined legal experience, Jebaily Law Firm will know how to seek the recovery you deserve. Contact us today to get started in your case.

Why Do Drowsy Driving Accidents Happen in South Carolina?

Driving while fatigued can easily lead to falling asleep at the wheel. This is a common cause of car accidents in South Carolina. The driver may run through a traffic control at an intersection, drift into another lane or plow into oncoming traffic. The results can be horrific.

But falling asleep while driving is not the only concern when it comes to drowsy driving. The reality is that a driver who is impaired by lack of sleep is just as dangerous as a driver who is impaired by alcohol or drugs. A fatigued driver, like a truck driver under the influence of alcohol has a slowed reaction time, lack of coordination and an inability to use proper judgment.

A driver’s fatigue may be the result of working a long shift at a job, a medical condition or a reaction to a prescription medication. Regardless of what brought on the fatigue, the driver should know better than to get behind the wheel and put other motorists at risk of harm.

Driving while fatigued is unreasonable behavior. A driver who engages in this conduct should be held accountable for the harm he or she causes others.

Establishing a Drowsy Driving Accident Claim

If you have been injured by a drowsy driver, you may be eligible to receive compensation through that driver’s liability insurance or other forms of coverage, including your own uninsured motorist / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) policy.

This compensation may include payment for all of your past and future medical bills and other expenses related to your injury. It may also include coverage for your lost past and future income, pain and suffering and more.

If you believe a drowsy driver injured you, your car accident attorney will need to demonstrate that the driver’s condition caused him or her to act in a careless or unsafe manner.

However, the driver likely will not admit to being tired while driving. So, a personal injury attorney will need to investigate the case, which can include reviewing evidence such as police reports, medical records, work records, accident scene evidence and eyewitness statements.

Tired truck drivers are responsible for a large percentage of serious drowsy driving accidents in South Carolina and across the country. Although the FMSCA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) has rules in place that are meant to prevent truck drivers from driving while drowsy, they are often violated.

In cases involving a drowsy truck driver, both the driver and trucking company may be held liable for the damage caused.

Contact a Fatigued Driving Injury Attorney in Florence South Carolina

If you have been involved in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident with a suspected drowsy driver and need an aggressive, experienced and knowledgeable car accident lawyer at your side, you have come to the right place.

Jebaily Law Firm has been fighting for South Carolina injury victims for Over 50 Years. We are passionate about pursuing full and fair compensation for our clients. Contact us today so that we can discuss your case in a free consultation.

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