Lowell Truck Accident Attorneys

Experienced Arkansas Truck Accident Lawyers Help Those Injured in Pickup Truck and Large Truck Collisions

From pickups to combination tractor-trailers, Arkansas roads are full of trucks. Trucks play a crucial role in the lives and daily activities of Arkansas residents.

Yet, these vehicles can also cause serious accidents. No matter the size or type, if you’ve been injured in a truck crash, we can help. Talk to the experienced Lowell truck injury lawyers at the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A. today.

Arkansas Truck Accident Statistics

Pickup trucks are often larger than other vehicles. Their size can result in more damage being inflicted in a crash, particularly when involving a pedestrian or bicyclist. Delivery trucks can be even heavier. A fully-loaded tractor-trailer can stand up to 14 feet tall and weigh 80,000 pounds, and cause devastating harm in a collision.

• In 2024, Arkansas posted the US’s fourth-highest highway fatality rate, with 21.1 deaths per 100,000 people.
• Between 2016 and 2022, 4,089 people died in crashes on Arkansas roads. Many of these deaths occurred in Benton County, including communities like Lowell.
• Traffic crash deaths increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite overall traffic rates declining.
• Fatal crashes have increased 18 percent in the past 10 years, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation.

Benton County consistently ranks among Arkansas’s most dangerous counties for fatal car accidents. Between 2018 and 2022, Benton County recorded 138 total fatal car accidents, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

Pickup Trucks, Commercial Trucks, and Semi Trucks

Arkansas ranks ninth among US states for pickup truck use. About 24.3 percent of vehicles on Arkansas roads in 2024 were pickup trucks. Wyoming ranked highest, at 37.1 percent.

Pickup trucks can cause more severe injuries in collisions, especially crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists. A pickup truck’s taller front end, compared to a sedan’s, is more likely to hit a bicyclist or pedestrian in the back or trunk of the body than in the legs. These collisions are more likely to cause fatal injuries.

Arkansas ranks fourth in fatal commercial truck accidents, according to a 2023 TRIP study. Arkansas also ranks third in the percentage of interstate highway miles traveled by large commercial trucks. In Arkansas, approximately 34 percent of all vehicle miles traveled on interstates each year are driven by large trucks.

Between 2017 and 2021, 91 people died in large truck crashes in Arkansas each year, on average. The number of large trucks on Arkansas roads is expected to increase in the coming decades.

Common Truck Crash Sites in and Near Lowell, Arkansas

Lowell’s location, south of Bentonville, is closely connected to Interstate 45 and other major thoroughfares, making the area a popular place to live. It also increases the risk of serious accidents on busy roadways.

Common places that truck accidents occur in and around Lowell include:

• I-49. Interstate 49 is one of Lowell’s busiest corridors for truck traffic and one of the most common sites of accidents. The interchange between I-49 and 264 is also a common site of crashes.
• 264. Highway 264 is an essential corridor for those traveling east or west through the Lowell area. Its connection with Interstate 49 and Highway 265/US 71 make it a convenient way to travel – but also a common site for collisions, especially between the interstate and US-71.
• 265/US-71. Highway 265 and US-71 share a roadway traveling through Lowell. This busy area, full of businesses and other venues, can also be a common site of collisions. The intersection of this roadway and Highway 264 can be particularly challenging for trucks to navigate.

While busy roads are more common sites for crashes, a truck collision can happen on nearly any street. If you’re injured in a crash, speak to an experienced Lowell truck accident lawyer as soon as possible.

What May Cause Truck Collisions in Lowell?

Whether it’s a pickup truck or a large commercial truck, some collisions result from predictable factors: speeding, intoxication, distraction, or failure to follow road rules. Others can be harder to spot. Large truck crashes can be particularly difficult to analyze.

The words “truck crash” might describe a pickup collision, a tractor-trailer crash, or both – yet these accident types can have very different causes and consequences. Speak to an experienced Lowell attorney who knows how these crashes differ and how to address the unique concerns raised by each.

Common Lowell Truck Crash Causes

A study of Arkansas crashes by ACHI and the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office found several common causes of motor vehicle crashes, including crashes involving pickup trucks. Risky behaviors that contribute to crashes include speeding, drunk or drugged driving, and distracted driving.

• Speeding can take multiple forms. A driver speeds when they travel faster than the posted speed limit. A driver may also speed if they travel too fast for road conditions, even if that speed is lower than the posted limit.

  Driving too fast for conditions can prevent a pickup truck driver from seeing pedestrians, bicyclists, or other roadway users in time to prevent a crash. It can also leave drivers too little time to avoid rear-ending a vehicle in front of them. These collisions are often preventable if drivers travel at an appropriate speed.

• Drunk and drugged driving remain issues on Arkansas roads. While over 60 percent of respondents in one study said they thought drunk driving was a “high risk” behavior, nearly one in four (23.2 percent) admitted to drinking and driving at least once or twice in their lives. Alcohol and other substances impair a driver’s ability to judge speed and distance, which can cause an otherwise preventable crash.
• Distracted driving caused eight percent of all US roadway deaths in 2020, according to the Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Nearly 96 percent of drivers surveyed in a AAA study considered texting while driving to be “very” or “extremely” dangerous, yet 40 percent admitted to having done it in the past month. Any type of distraction to a pickup truck driver can result in an accident, however, including conversations, eating behind the wheel, or watching something that’s not the road.

Accidents caused by speeding, intoxication, or distracted driving are preventable. When a pickup truck driver fails to use the care required to prevent these crashes, serious harm can result.

Common Large Truck Crash Causes

Commercial truck drivers can fall prey to the same dangerous habits as pickup truck drivers. Speeding, intoxication, and distraction can all cause large truck crashes.

The size and complexity of commercial trucks, however, introduce more risks. In addition to driver error, other common causes of delivery and semi-truck crashes include errors by trucking companies, maintenance and repair issues, cargo problems, and hidden defects.

• Trucking company negligence. Trucking companies are legally required to screen drivers, train them when necessary, and hold them accountable for adhering to safety rules, such as Hours of Service (HOS) requirements. When a trucking company fails in these duties or pushes its drivers to ignore them, the company may be at fault if injury occurs.
• Maintenance and repair issues. Large trucks often receive service from maintenance and repair teams. These teams must ensure trucks are roadworthy and meet state and federal safety standards. When teams fail in this duty, neglected maintenance or broken parts can cause serious harm on the road.
• Cargo problems. Many commercial truck drivers do not load or secure their own cargo. Instead, this work is done by cargo specialists. When these cargo teams don’t load or secure cargo correctly, the load may shift during transport – leading to a rollover or another serious accident.
• Hidden defects. Companies that manufacture truck parts or assemble large trucks must ensure their work is fit for its intended use and free of hidden defects. When a part is defective in its manufacture or design, it may fail at a critical moment, triggering a crash. The driver may have no way to know there is a problem until it’s too late.

Trucking companies have a duty to ensure their trucks are maintained, operated, and loaded safely. If anyone involved in this process fails to use due care, serious harm from a preventable crash may occur.

How An Experienced Lowell Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help

You don’t have to take on these tasks alone. An experienced Lowell truck accident lawyer can:

• Investigate the crash and preserve crucial evidence.
• Help you understand and protect your legal rights when saving paperwork and dealing with insurance companies.
• Negotiate with insurance companies and other parties on your behalf, advocating for your legal rights and ensuring your needs are effectively addressed.
• Prepare a strong compensation case, and even go to trial if necessary.

After a truck crash, you may struggle to recover from serious injuries or the sudden loss of a loved one. Figuring out who is at fault and how to obtain the necessary compensation for medical bills, household expenses, and other losses can feel impossible.

Contact The Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield Today

After a trucking collision, there is a specific timeframe in which you need to file an insurance claim or begin a pre-suit process. Reach out to the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A., today to learn more about your legal options after a car and truck accident. Our Lowell truck accident lawyers are available to schedule a free, confidential consultation.