Pike County, Arkansas — A head-on collision involving a semi and an SUV claimed the lives of two women Wednesday afternoon on Arkansas Highway 27, close to its intersection with Cowhide Cove in rural Pike County.
According to a preliminary fatal crash summary, a 2020 Ford Explorer was traversing an uphill slope when a northbound 2014 Freightliner semi-truck was navigating a downhill stretch and a left curve and suddenly lost control and began to spin in a counterclockwise rotation. The Freightliner crossed into the southbound lane occupied by the Ford Explorer. The SUV driver swerved to avoid impact; however, the front passenger side of the semi crashed into the front driver side of the Ford Explorer.
The SUV driver and her passenger were declared deceased at the scene.
Reports indicate the accident happened on a wet roadway.
Thoughts on Head-On Collision on a Slippery Road
Whenever an accident causes someone to lose their life, the victims’ families deserve answers to all the factors that may have contributed to the accident. This accident has left many questions that need answering. Why did the trucker lose control of his semi? Was he speeding on a wet curve? Distracted by his phone? Fatigued? Did he have a mechanical issue? Mechanical issues do account for 10% of accidents.
What we do know is that when driving downhill in adverse conditions, truckers must slow down. Driving downhill in adverse conditions is extremely dangerous. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires truck drivers to exercise extreme caution while driving in adverse conditions. Extreme caution means taking adequate precautions to avoid an accident. That did not happen here.
Trained professionals will also need to look into the trucking company. Did the company hire safe, experienced drivers, or did they employ inexperienced drivers? Do they provide training for their drivers on how to handle inclement weather? Was the truck safe? Had it gone through recent inspections and passed? Good tires? Good Brakes? These questions can determine all parties at fault that need to be held liable for the lives this accident claimed.
Nothing can bring these two ladies back. But the families deserve answers and justice for their loss. When wrongdoers are held responsible, change happens, and people are safer on our roadways.
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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation, with extensive experience in complex auto/tire defect and commercial vehicle cases.
Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.
