Archive for the ‘ Auto Accident ’ Category

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23
Apr

Two-Vehicle Atkins Crash Kills One, Injures Four

April 23, 2012

A tragic two-vehicle car accident in Atkins, Arkansas, Friday night claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman and left four other individuals seriously injured. According to The Courier News, the crash happened at exactly 8:56 p.m. on State Highway 247.

Reports from troopers with the Arkansas State Police who responded to the scene stated that the 35-year-old woman was driving a 1993 Geo Storm west along the highway when she crossed the center dividing line and struck a 2006 Chrysler 600 carrying four people head-on.

While occupants of both vehicles were properly restrained at the time of the crash, the Pope County Coroner declared the driver of the Storm dead at the scene. The cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the body and head. The other four crash victims, two middle-aged married couples, were taken to Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center to receive treatment for the numerous injuries they suffered.

The accident remains under investigation pending toxicology tests that were conducted on the body of the driver who was responsible for the accident at the state’s crime lab.

The Arkansas Car Accident Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton would like to send their thoughts and condolences to the family of the victim who died in this crash. The firm would also like to wish those who were injured a full and speedy recovery from the injuries they sustained in the accident.

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16
Apr

Stuck Accelerators Prompt Possible Manufacturing Regulation Changes

April 16, 2012

Toyota’s recall of thousands of vehicles due to faulty accelerators that could get stuck while the car is in motion has prompted federal lawmakers to consider passing measures that would require all vehicles to have an override system to combat the problem. According to KATV 7 News, the system would work by stopping the vehicle’s acceleration if both the gas and brake pedals were pressed at the same time.

While many feel that these regulations will work to protect the public from the problems of faulty automotive devices, manufacturers say that there are too few cases of stuck accelerators to warrant the change. Instead, they argue that most of the accidents are caused by drivers’ “misapplication” of the pedal in which they accidentally step on the accelerator rather than the brake while driving.

The point was countered with the story of four people who were killed in August 2009 near San Diego, California, after a floor mat caused the accelerator to stick in their Lexus.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s proposal states that the changes in manufacturing regulations would not occur for at least another three years while legislation is further examined.

The Arkansas Car Accident Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton encourage drivers to be extra vigilant of where they place their feet when driving. Make sure that anything that could obstruct your feet is cleared from the floorboards as well before driving.

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12
Mar

The 99 Makes Its Way To Benton, Arkansas Through March

March 12, 2012

A new way of educating teens and young adults about the dangers of risky behaviors, including drug use and drinking and driving, has come to Benton, Arkansas. According to FOX 16 News, the 99 Walkthrough Reality Theatre has been set up at 121 Alcoa Rd. since March 2 and will remain there until the end of the month.

Participants of The 99 will walk through five different scenarios being played by live actors. Each scene portrays how a different teen’s choice to participate in risky behavior ultimately leads to his or her demise.

The idea behind the reality theatre is based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s statistic that 99 young people in the country die in car accidents or from drug overdoses, domestic violence, homicides, and suicides each day.

The director of The 99, Terry Henshaw, says he hopes the program will help teens realize their decisions have consequences and that “when they see the reenactments, they’ll make better choices.”

One teen who walked through the program said it was “eerie” and thought provoking.

The 99 will be open Friday through Sunday from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. until the end of March and will be in Louisville, Kentucky, from April through May.

The Arkansas Car Accident Lawyers with Rainwater, Holt and Sexton would encourage all young adults and teens in those areas to check this event out and see the dangers of risky behaviors firsthand.

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5
Mar

Arkansas State Police Announce Start Of Anti-Drunk Driving Campaign

March 5, 2012

The Arkansas State Police announced yesterday that this week would mark the beginning of a statewide anti-drunk driving campaign aimed at teens. The agency stated that the campaign would run from March 9 through March 18. Then, from April 13 through April 22, officers will focus enforcement on intoxicated teen drivers.

Authorities say they chose those dates to coincide with the large number of student events scheduled for that time of year that’s known to be associated with teen drinking, such as spring break, proms, and graduation.

State troopers, sheriff’s deputies, and police officers from across the state will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints in an attempt to lower the number of alcohol-related teen fatalities in the state this year. In 2010, 47 teens were killed in alcohol-related accidents.

Law enforcement warns teens that they can be arrested for driving under the influence if their blood-alcohol content (BAC) is between .02 and .07 percent. A BAC of .08 percent or higher constitutes the more serious offense of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI).

Offenders can expect a sentence of possible jail time, fines of around $2,000, driver license suspension, and mandatory community service.

The Arkansas DUI Accident Attorneys with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton encourage all drivers to do their part in keeping Arkansas’s highways safe by not getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. Instead, call a cab or a trusted friend to get you home safely.

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27
Feb

Drunk Driver Responsible For String Of Crashes On I-530

February 27, 2012

Police say that a 35-year-old man from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, has been charged in connection with a multiple-vehicle crash that injured several motorists. Reports from FOX 16 News indicate that the accident occurred at approximately 5:47 Saturday morning along I-530, just south of the Dixon Road exit.

According to police, the man was allegedly driving drunk when he rear-ended another vehicle while headed northbound on the highway, causing it to flip.

The first accident forced a motorist that was behind the two vehicles to veer across the center median of the highway, hitting a southbound vehicle head-on. Five other vehicles also crashed while trying to avoid the collision.

The driver of the flipped vehicle was trapped in the car after it landed on its hood. Rescue crews had to cut the victim free of the wreckage and then airlift the motorist to a nearby hospital where the victim is now listed in critical condition. Several other motorists suffered minor injuries as a result of the crashes.

The alleged drunk driver is being charged with three counts of aggravated assault, two counts of terroristic threatening, one count of driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to a chemical test, driving with a suspended license, careless driving, and failure to stay in the lane.

The Arkansas Auto Accident Attorneys with Rainwater, Holt and Sexton ask that we all do our part to keep the state’s highways safe by not drinking and driving.

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13
Feb

New Cable Barrier System To Be Installed Along Arkansas’ I-540

February 13, 2012

A new project designed to make Interstate-540 in Benton County, Arkansas, safer for motorists is scheduled to break ground in several weeks. According to reports from 4029 TV News, the $5 million project will install a cable barrier system in the median of the highway in order to stop accidents that occur when cars cross into oncoming lanes.

The cable barriers act as a snare, catching a crashing vehicle within its steel ropes, in the event of an accident. Experts say that the cable barriers are just as effective in preventing crashes with oncoming vehicles as a concrete barrier wall is, but are more giving and less likely to injure those involved in a crash.

The project comes after a fatal crash that occurred along the highway in January. A spokesman for the Arkansas State police department, Sergeant John Oberman, said that a 51-year-old female driver lost control of her vehicle, crossed over the median of I-540 and struck another vehicle head-on. Sergeant Oberman stated he believed the accident might not have occurred if the cable barrier system had been installed prior to the crash.

The Arkansas auto accident attorneys with Rainwater, Holt and Sexton are optimistic that the new barrier system will be able to save lives. They also ask that you do your part to stay safe on the road by buckling up, watching your speed, and paying close attention to your surroundings.

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6
Feb

Five Killed, Three Injured In Head-On Collision Along Arkansas Highway

February 6, 2012

A head-on collision between two vehicles on an Arkansas highway has left five people dead and three children seriously injured. According to reports from THV News, the accident happened Sunday afternoon along Highway 7, just outside Centerville, Arkansas.

Reports from Arkansas State Police say that the crash occurred when a 28-year-old male drive crossed the center median lines on the highway and struck a vehicle carrying two mothers and their six children head-on.

Both mothers and three of their children were declared dead at the scene of the crash. The three other children were taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital where they were last listed in good condition this morning.

Head-on collisions are among the most deadly type of accident a driver can be involved in. The rising number of fatal head-on collisions has been associated with the rising number of distracted drivers, according to one report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The data shows that as many as 26 percent of all injury accidents involved a driver being distracted in some way.

The Arkansas auto accident attorneys with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton ask that drivers keep themselves and others safe on the road by putting all distractions aside when behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. If all Arkansas residents chose to do so, it could eliminate thousands of accidents and injuries every year.

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30
Jan

Drunk Driver Sentenced To 22-Years For Fayetteville Crash

January 30, 2012

Drunk driving can not only destroy the lives of accident victims, but their families and loved ones as well. FOX 16 News reported from a courtroom today where the parents and fiance of two drunk driving victims gave testimony on the impact their loss has had on their lives during the sentencing of the drunk driver responsible for the crash.

The accident happened on May 15th of last year on I-540 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is there that the drunk driver, with a blood alcohol content of .16–or twice the legal limit–hit the vehicle driven by the 26-year-old woman. A passenger in the woman’s car died at the scene, and the driver died three days later at a local hospital.

The driver responsible for the crash pled guilty to two counts of negligent homicide and was sentenced to up to 22 years in prison.

While a lengthy prison sentence may ensure the drunken driver doesn’t commit the crime again for quite a while, it does not compensate for the loss the victims’ families have suffered. In order to be awarded damages for the accident such as lost income, expenses, and other punitive damages, a civil case must be brought against the drunk driver.

The Arkansas wrongful death attorneys with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton are here to help you if you have any questions regarding the loss of your loved one because of another person’s negligent act. Contact an experienced attorney today for a free initial consultation.

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23
Jan

Campaigns to Eliminate Distracted Driving in Arkansas

January 23, 2012

A new campaign called The Great Hang Up is sweeping across the country The aim of the program is to eliminate distracted driving accidents caused by talking and texting on cell phones on America’s highways. According to Arkansas’s THV 11 News, the campaign asks that drivers sign a pledge to not operate a cell phone while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.

To participate, sign a pledge sheet and keep it in your car as a reminder to the promise you have made yourself. Then, stay focused behind the wheel by following the sheet’s simple distraction eliminating guidelines.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is also trying to bolster efforts to end distracted driving by creating their own campaign called Faces of Distracted Driving. The group has created a website with videos that show the impact distracted driving accidents have on ordinary people and their families.

While Arkansas legislators are pushing for better laws to protect motorists from distracted driving, thousands will still be hurt or killed in the state until the ramifications of the accidents the activity can cause are understood by a majority of citizens.

This is why the Arkansas distracted driving accident lawyers with Rainwater, Holt & Sexton would like to urge drivers to take a closer look at both of these programs and think about participating. Reducing the risks that distractions impose on drivers is the simplest way to eradicate a growing problem that could leave you injured.

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27
Dec

One Killed, Others Injured In Fayetteville Car Crash

December 26, 2011

Tragedy struck the town of Fayetteville, Arkansas, over the holiday weekend when two car accidents, caused by the same driver, occurred on Christmas Eve. 40/29TV News reported earlier today that the female driver involved died at the scene of the second crash and multiple other motorists were hospitalized with injuries.

It started at around 8:00 PM at the intersection of Hollywood Avenue and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, when the driver collided with another vehicle and sped away further down MLK Boulevard. She did not slow as she approached the intersection at Razorback Road and plowed into the rear end of a stopped SUV. The impact sent the SUV barreling into the intersection and onto the top of a police cruiser that was also stopped at the intersection. The officer was able to crawl from the wreckage and help the three young children and their parents trapped in the SUV. One of those children suffered a broken leg as the result of the crash, while the other four members of the family were taken to a local hospital to be examined and treated for minor injuries.

Spokesperson for the Fayetteville Police Department, Sergeant Shannon Gabbard, stated that the driver who caused the crash had to be pulled form the wreckage through a hole cut in the vehicle’s roof, but died at the scene.

The Arkansas auto accident attorneys with Rainwater, Holt, and Sexton are available anytime to discuss your case if you have been hurt in a car accident that was not your fault.

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