News 12 First at Five / Friday, April 1, 2011

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- Three people are recovering tonight after a driver crashed a truck through the North Augusta Captain D's restaraunt. The driver and two people eating inside were injured. Deputies believe the driver crashed because of a medical condition.
Doctor's say this sort of accident is more common than you might think. Sometimes it's out of blue, but doctors say often times you can prevent a medical accident before getting behind the wheel.

"It's not the first time I've heard of something like this-it happens way more often than it should." Dr. Julie Hicks woks at the Urgent M.D. clinic in Grovetown. Before that, she was an emergency room doctor for eight years. She says they've seen accidents very similar to the one at Captain D's, sometimes caused by strokes, heart attacks, and even diabetes. "It can cause a driver to weave on the road, just like a drunk driver. And low blood sugar can do the same thing. You actually get really confused and can even become unconscious. And you don't always feel it coming on."

She says that's why it's so important to be extra careful on the road if you do have a medical condition or take any medications. "Part of being careful is listening to your doctor, which a lot of people don't do. If they think they can drive and get away with it, then they will. And they don't realize they may be putting someone else's life in danger."

And while sometimes symptoms can come out of nowhere, Dr. Hicks says many medical-related accidents can be prevented. "We see very many motor vehicle accidents that were caused by mixing medications like benzodiazepine, hydrocodone, pain pills, nerve pills, alcohol. There's a lot more of that than there should be. There are certain medications you should probably never drive on."

She believes local law enforcement officers are doing a good job controlling D.U.I.'s and implementing drug stops if they notice suspicious driving behavior. But, she adds, you just can't predict everything when it comes to a motor vehicle. "It's like having a large weapon in your hand. It's not used to be a weapon, but it can do a lot of damage if you're not paying attention."

And whether predictable or not, a medical emergency on the road can be very scary and very destructive. Dr. Hicks also says the older you are, the more sensitive you are to medications. And if you are a new stroke, heart, or diabetes patient, make sure you become completely used to your medicine before trying to drive on it. She explains, most seizure patients should never get behind the wheel.

The drive through and restaurant at the Captain D's in North Augusta had extensive damage to the front of the building, but they re-opened this morning at 10:45 as normal. Managers say they're just hoping everyone who was injured in last night's accident is okay. North Augusta authorities could not comment on patient conditions today.