New Law Prohibits Police Trucks On Horry County Beaches

Walking on the beach is lovely, especially in Myrtle Beach and the surrounding area of the South Carolina coastline, but so are other forms of beach transportation.  You can roller skate, skateboard, or bike on the boardwalk and swim, water ski, or ride a boat or jet ski in the ocean; you can even go parasailing and see Myrtle Beach from above.  Not too many vehicles do well on the sand.  4x4s, all-terrain vehicles, and trucks do well, but while it might be fun to ride across the desert or an undeveloped stretch of beach on one of these rugged vehicles, everyone could agree that vehicles with big tires should not travel on beaches full of sunbathers.  Horry County has enacted a law that prohibits trucks on its beaches, except for limited circumstances where a police truck must respond to an emergency.  Unfortunately, this law only comes after several accidents where unwieldy police vehicles struck beachgoers.  If you got injured in an accident involving a police truck, contact a Columbia truck accident lawyer.

Why Are Police Trucks So Dangerous to Sunbathers?

In the past few years, Horry County has witnessed two accidents where full-sized police trucks struck sunbathers on public beaches.  The first accident occurred in May 2020, when a 69-year-old woman was sunbathing near the edge of a public beach.  She saw the truck approaching but did not realize that she was in its blind spot.  The truck struck her and caused non-life-threatening injuries.

The second accident happened in June 2024, when a truck drove over Sandy Schulz-Peters while she sunbathed, causing her to become trapped between the truck’s bumper and the sand.  Other beachgoers lifted the truck off of her.  She died of injuries sustained in the accident.  She was 66 years old.

People who get injured in accidents involving public safety vehicles have the right to seek compensation by filing a claim with the public agency that caused the accident.  It is often possible to receive a settlement without the case going to trial.

How Do Police Respond to Beach Emergencies?

Pursuant to the new law, public safety agencies may not drive full-sized trucks on areas of the beach that are open to the public, except if they are responding to an emergency where smaller vehicles would not be able to provide an adequate response.  Local police and other safety agencies may travel on the beach in all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and motorcycles.  They may also approach the beach from the water on a variety of watercraft.  The new law includes an exception for emergencies, because a swift response to an accidental injury can make all the difference for the prognosis of the people injured.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you if you get the money you need after an accident where a vehicle was driving in a place where vehicles should not be.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Source:

postandcourier.com/myrtle-beach/news/horry-county-beach-patrol-trucks-fatal-wreck-sc/article_cdfc40e0-2f4e-11ef-b5e2-7f3f9af59a0f.html