Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm - 300 Pettigru St., Suite 100, Greenville, SC 29601

How Does Four Wheel Drive Work?

Off road driving is one of the most adventurous and rewarding hobbies there is, but for those who practice it, it needs you to really understand your vehicle including four wheel drive and how it performs off road as well as a thorough understanding of the terrain.

To drive off road, four wheel drive is essential and there are three main types of four-wheel drive systems. The first is permanent four wheel drive which uses something called a differential to divide the drive to each of the wheels and also in a flexible way so that when turning corners each wheel takes a slightly different route.

The second type is a manually selectable four wheel drive and the third is an automatic selectable four wheel drive. Both of these systems have the same principle in that the drive is permanently allocated to one axle, which is usually the rear and then the other axle can be connected as required. The idea is for the vehicle to move into four wheel drive only when needed and drivers should check their handbooks to see how to select it as some vehicles can be changed while moving and others have to be stationary.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Greenville Woman Died in a Crash

On Tuesday, November 17, a Greenville woman died in a crash with a tractor trailer on Interstate 26.

According to the Highway Patrol, the accident happened around 8.40 p.m. when 54 year old attorney, Gretchen Bonds Gleason, was headed home from Columbia. She was traveling west on I 26 near mile marker 60 in Joanna, when a tractor trailer traveling in the same direction attempted to change lanes. As it did so it hit Gleason’s four door BMW.

Gleason was wearing a seat belt and had to be extricated from the car, but she was pronounced dead at the scene of blunt force trauma, according to the Coroner’s Office.

The Highway Patrol said that the driver of the tractor trailer was not injured and the investigation is ongoing. So far no citations have been issued and no further details about how the accident occurred have been released.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Driving in Fog

Driving in heavy fog is the most dangerous natural driving hazard there is, and fog is responsible for several accidents. If you have to drive in fog the safest thing to do is to stop driving, move off the road and wait for the fog to lift, but sometimes this is simply not practical.

If you have to drive in fog you must reduce your speed dramatically and turn on your headlights. Think about how far you can see ahead and try not to let your speed creep up, even if you think you are becoming used to the restricted vision. Make sure that your headlights are always on dip as high beam reflects off the fog and reduces visibility even more. If you have fog lights turn them on but don’t use your emergency flashers as these can distract other drivers.

When driving in fog you have to do everything you can to ensure you can see and be seen. Try not to stop in a roadway as that is almost certain to lead to your vehicle being rear ended. If you do have to stop then pull right off the roadway.

When driving, use the right edge of the road as a guide, rather than the center line and don’t keep hitting the brakes as that will make drivers behind you nervous and they may try and pass you putting their life and yours in danger. Keep your windscreen defrosted and use your wipers to improve your vision.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Dash Cams on the Increase in Trucks

In South Carolina there are now more and more dash cams which at one time were only seen in law enforcement vehicles. They are being used more frequently to stop traffic cases from turning into law suits and to help fight insurance claims. Increasing numbers of motorists are using dash cams to protect themselves from false accusations, and this is especially true in the trucking industry.

Rick Todd, who is the president of the South Carolina Trucking Association, said truckers have used dash cams for years and he believes their use is growing dramatically. He says not only are they useful for after an accident but also help in terms of risk management and monitoring driver behavior. He says that after an accident when insurance companies or lawyers say their driver was at fault the dash cam can often prove the opposite. In addition they can check if drivers are texting while driving or driving in an unsafe manner.

Many truck fleet owners now install dash cams throughout their fleets and use them for safety coaching and in the end, preventing accidents. The videos are shown back to the drivers to improve their habits and lead to a decrease in the number of accidents.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Trailer Came Loose from Truck and Killed Man

On Saturday, August 15, a trailer came loose from a truck and killed a man in Pickins County.

Brian Keith, aged 48 had just finished an alcohol rehab program at Home with a Heart when the truck came down Saco Lowell Road in Easley and the trailer smashed directly into Keith who was killed outright.

According to the Coroner, this was the first accident of its type in Pickens County but accidents of this nature are common across the state of South Carolina and five people have died and 313 have been injured since 2010 due to accidents when there is what is known as a “separation of units”.

There have been 553 accidents in South Carolina of this nature since 2010 and 59 since January this year and according to the Highway Patrol it is usually caused by human error, with operators not using two safety chains or using the wrong size of ball for the trailer hitch or not using the locking pin.

Across the nation as a whole, between 1975 and 2013, over 17,000 people have been killed in 1.3 million accidents when a passenger vehicle was towing a trailer which then came loose.

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If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Drivers on Interstate Showered with Money

On Monday, July 27, those traveling on Interstate 85 were showered with money.

According to authorities, they received 911 calls from drivers on the Interstate between Interstate 385 and Pelham Road saying that an armored truck was travelling on the Interstate and one of its doors had opened and cash was flying out of the back of the truck. Deputies from Greenville County Sheriff’s office went to the scene along with troopers to collect up the cash and try to control the situation.

There were several accidents and other traffic problems as people stopped on the interstate to look for cash and deputies asked people not to do that. They reminded that those who took money may be charged with either petty larceny or grand larceny and that the charge would depend on the amount of money they collected.

By early afternoon, all of the cash had been collected by authorities and the road returned to normal.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Tanker Truck Rollover on Interstate

On Friday, July 3, there was a tanker truck rollover on Interstate 85 in Anderson County.

According to the Highway Patrol the accident happened shortly before 8.30 a.m. at mile marker 40 near Highway 153. Kdaya Lynn Brantley was driving an SUV northbound on the interstate when she lost control and hit the wall. The tanker trailer, being driven by 58 year old Joseph Bernard from McDonough, Georgia tried to avoid hitting her, but he also lost control and the rig overturned.

Luckily both were wearing seatbelts and neither of them was injured, however the northbound lanes were blocked all day, only reopening at 5.p.m. in the afternoon. This caused significant back up for almost six miles in both directions.

The tanker luckily did not leak as it was carrying highly flammable polyurethane and the Anderson County Hazmat team observed the scene until the special wrecker arrived to right the tanker.

Brantley was cited for driving too fast for conditions.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Major Crash Involving 10 Vehicles and a Gasoline Tanker

At the end of May, several people were hurt in a major crash involving 10 vehicles and including a gasoline tanker in Lexington County.

According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the accident happened shortly before 6 a.m. on the Interstate 26 between exits 106 and 104. Those are the exits to St. Andrews Road and Piney Grove Road.

It appears that a Richland County deputy had stopped to help with a crash on the highway when his vehicle was hit by another. He was uninjured but there was then a secondary crash involving several other vehicles in the eastbound lane, including two tractor trailers and the tanker, which was carrying 8,500 gallons of fuel. The tanker then caught fire which spread to some other vehicles and then onto the west side of the interstate toward Jamil Road. Firefighters also had to extinguish flames which were threatening a nearby residential area.

Department of Health and Environmental Control officials attended the scene to check out a suspicious substance leaking from one of the tractor trailers and the Department of Transportation arrived on scene to inspect the highway for damage.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Greenville Man Killed by Dump Truck

On Thursday, May 14 a Greenville man was killed in Appling.

According to Columbia County Sheriff’s office, the accident happened at around 10.30 am when 65 year old Garud S. Acharya was stopped in his Toyota Camry on Bennett Road at Ray Owens Road. Acharya worked for ADT and was in the area for his job. He was trying to turn left onto Ray Owens Road, and pulled into the path of a northbound dump truck, being driven by 58 year old David Lee Johnson, of Thomson. The truck, owned by Barry Tabor Paving Inc. hit the Camry on the driver’s side pushing it off the road and into a ditch. The truck then continued moving and ended up on top of the Camry.

Acharya was pronounced dead at the scene due to from blunt force trauma to the head. Johnson was uninjured.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.

Impaired Driver Causes Accident Between Two Cars and an 18 Wheeler

On Wednesday April 15, there was an accident between two cars and an 18 wheeler.

According to Greenville Police, the accident happened shortly after 6 p.m. on Memorial Drive near Millbrook Street in front of the Camelot Inn. Johnnie Flowers was driving a Pontiac with three passengers northbound in the center turn lane before making the left turn into the Inn. Flowers crossed the southbound lanes, hit a Ford vehicle and then collided with an 18 wheeler.

Following the collision the tractor trailer was pushed into a utility pole which meant that the power lines were knocked down and causing Memorial to be closed to traffic for nearly three hours.

Flowers and his front-seat passenger were trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by Greenville Fire-Rescue. He suffered minor injuries along with another passenger whereas the front seat passenger was seriously injured. They were all taken to Vidant Medical Center.

Following the investigation, Flowers has now been charged with driving while impaired and unsafe movement.

If you have been the victim of an accident, contact our law offices immediately at (864) 280-7660 today or contact us online. We will be able to review your case especially in the case that said accident resulted in serious injury or death, you may be entitled to monetary compensation.