Summer Means Sunshine and More Emergency Room Visits

Summer is the perfect season to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. Although many summer activities are perfectly safe, several of them have at least some degree of risk. Sporting activities and outdoor recreation activities cause thousands of injuries every summer. Many of these injuries can be prevented with just a little bit of common sense. Below is a list of common summertime injuries.

• Vehicle Accidents – Statistics for vehicle injuries in South Carolina are staggering. Roughly one person is killed every 8.2 hours during the summertime and one person is killed or injured due to a DUI every 2.1 hours. One of these fatal or injury accidents involves a driver age 19 or younger every hour. A bicyclist dies every 17.4 days, a pedestrian dies every 3.4 days, and a child under the age of six suffers severe injuries or death every 10.5 days.
• Alcohol – South Carolina is at the top of the list for worst states for fatal traffic accidents involving drinking. In 2017, there were 313 deaths due to impaired driving making 32 percent of fatalities in car accidents due to impaired driving.
• Fatigue – Drivers ages 18-24 are more at risk for falling asleep at the wheel. Statistics show that a driver who is tired is just as dangerous as one who is impaired by drugs or alcohol. They don’t use proper judgment, have slower reaction times, and are less coordinated.
• Speeding – Statistics show that people who are intoxicated often like to speed. The faster you are traveling, the longer it takes to stop. This makes driving fast even more dangerous for a person who’s reaction time is already delayed.
• Boating – For many people, summertime means getting out on a boat. Many people pack a cooler full of food and drinks and hit the water. Some of the drinks are meant for adults only. Unfortunately, these drinks can also lead to accidents. When a boat is operated incorrectly serious injuries or even death can occur for the people on the boat, nearby swimmers, people on other boats, or even for people on land. Most boat accidents occur when a collision takes place, the boat capsizes, or someone falls overboard.
• Animals – This is also the time of year when more people are taking their dogs out and about for a daily stroll. While many dog owners are responsible and keep their dog on a leash, there are others who allow their dog to simply roam the neighborhood freely. South Carolina laws specifically state that if a dog bites another individual, the owner of the dog is strictly liable if the person being bitten was in a public place or lawfully on private property, even the dog owner’s property.

Contact a Charleston Attorney Today

Summertime is a time of year that should be enjoyed. People should get out and enjoy the great outdoors. However, the experiences should be safe. If you have been injured in one of the above type of accidents or some other summertime accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the attorneys at the David Aylor Law Offices today to schedule a consultation.