Police are investigating a deadly car accident in Arkansas that left one man dead and a young boy seriously injured earlier this month. The crash, like so many on Arkansas’ highways, involved an 18-wheel big rig—though an accident reconstruction specialist suspects the driver of the smaller vehicle may likely have been at fault. Indeed, certain clues—including eyewitness testimony—suggest that this may have been a tragic distracted driving accident in Arkansas.
The Details of the Fatal Car Accident in Arkansas
On October 2nd a car driven by 27-year-old Little Rock man crossed the center line of Highway 65 near Salmon Lane in Harrison. The Toyota Corolla he was driving collided head-on with an 18-wheeler traveling in the opposite direction. The crash killed the man in the Corolla instantly and left his passenger (a 15-year-old juvenile being transported to a correctional facility in Illinois) seriously injured. The boy, who was wearing manacles and a belly chain at the time of the collision, was airlifted to a nearby hospital.
The driver of the Corolla was employed as a transport driver and had been tasked with carrying the young man in custody across state lines from Fordyce. He was using his own car at the time but had installed a dash cam owned by the company for which he worked to record the trip. Investigators who were called in to reconstruct the accident hit a roadblock when they found the camera was not recording at the time of the collision.
They did, however, recover a cell phone inside the car and at least one source was quoted as saying the young victim witnessed the driver of the Corolla texting at some point prior to the crash.
Texting: Distracted Driver Accidents in Arkansas Are Deadly
Official statistics collected by the NHTSA show that distracted driving killed almost 3,500 people in 2015 alone. Still, over 650,000 nationwide use their phones while behind the wheel. Stats show that the number of distracted driving accidents in Arkansas is below the national average, however, 225 fatal collisions—nearly half of all deadly car accidents in Arkansas—were caused by at least one driver taking their attention off the road.
Cell Phone Use Behind the Wheel could be as Dangerous as Driving Drunk
Multiple studies have shown that texting while driving takes a person’s eyes off the road for around 4-5 seconds (sometimes longer). Traveling at highway speeds, a car covers around 80 feet per second and can travel the length of a football field in that short amount of time.
Hands-free technology may not be any safer. A revolutionary study by researchers at the University of Utah found that cell phone use causes impairment on a level similar to that of intoxication. In fact, researchers concluded that in some regards simply talking on a cell phone while behind the wheel was as dangerous as drunk driving.
What to Do if You’ve Been Injured by a Distracted Driver
You need an experienced distracted driving accident lawyer in Arkansas on your side. The legal professionals at the Pfeifer Law Firm can help you get every penny you deserve from at-fault drivers including:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Loss of future medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Compensation for lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Compensation for disfigurement, permanent scarring , etc.
Don’t settle for what the at-fault party’s insurance company offers you until you’ve talked with a lawyer and know that you are being fully compensated for your injuries. You could be entitled to more compensation than you know is available. There is a deadline to file a personal injury claim, so speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer today. Contact the Pfeifer Law Firm online or call us direct at (501) 374-4440 to schedule your free, no-pressure consultation today.