Petition for Increased Road Safety
There have been numerous accidents and near misses on Arkansas State Highway 5 involving logging trucks. To bring awareness and a solution to this dangerous problem, Serena Gonzales of Hot Springs Village has started a petition at change.org.
Accidents Involving Logging Trucks
According to the Hot Springs Village Voice, Robert and Karen Feckler of Hot Springs Village were driving on Highway 5 on Wednesday, July 8, 2020, when they were involved in a fatal accident with a logging truck. The Voice reported:
“An Arkansas State Police preliminary report says Thomas Weeks, 48, of Hot Springs, was driving the southbound 2003 Freightliner logging truck last Wednesday when he encroached the northbound lane, over-corrected and toppled, losing the logs, which struck Robert Feckler’s 2020 Nissan Murano at 9:14 a.m.”
Robert Feckler, age 69, died Wednesday, July 8, 2020, from fatal injuries sustained from this accident.
The Voice also reported that this was the second time in 13 months that a logging truck was involved in the fatality of a Villager.
Serena’s petition says:
Petition for Better Oversight for Greater Safety on Arkansas State Hwy 5
“We petition Arkansas State Authorities to immediately provide:
- better oversight,
- increased and focused law enforcement patrols,
- digital speed sign notifications,
- and warning notifications to all log hauling companies
“that utilize State Hwy 5 between the southern terminus at Hwy 7 (Fountain Lake) and the junction with Interstate 30/US Highway 67/US Highway 70 (I-30/US 67/US 70) and Highway 35 in Benton, Arkansas..
“Residents living in this area of Arkansas are repeatedly put at-risk by speeding drivers of all genres, but specifically by drivers of log hauling trucks who repeatedly put lives at risk by speeding, crossing the centerline, and failing to have control of their vehicles.
“Recently, a resident of Hot Springs Village was killed by a logging truck crossing the centerline, then over-correcting and turning over onto a vehicle. Another resident was killed last year by the driver of a logging truck.
“Incidents and near-misses with log hauling trucks are regularly shared. This is an ongoing and dangerous problem that needs immediate correction. We are asking for the Arkansas State Police and Benton Sherrif’s Dept to immediately provide substantially increased patrols on this section of Hwy 5 South and to cite violators in an effort to provide better safety to the community.”
You can help by sharing and signing the petition for improved safety on Arkansas Highways.
Click here to go to the Petition for Better Oversight for Greater Safety on Arkansas State Hwy 5.
By Cheryl Dowden, July 30, 2020
* * *
Thank you for reading. Click here to visit Hot Springs Village Community Forums.
* * *
Click here to visit the Hot Springs Village People Facebook Group.
Wilfred
07/30/2020 — 2:09 pm
The re-pavement of Hwy 5 was surely appreciated. It made the drive from Hot Springs to Benton much more enjoyable. Yet the real dangers of driving Hwy 5 remain.
There’s seemingly always someone behind you, no matter how fast you go, wanting to pass, and too many times these dangerous drivers do so in the double yellow-lined areas.
Then there’s the logging trucks that seem to be paid for how fast they can come and go from a work site. It’s just simply irresponsible and dangerous.
We need more police enforcement of the Hwy 5 speed limits and more oversight on general trafficking conduct.
Hwy 5 remains one of the most dangerous roads to travel in Arkansas and we are all hoping that our leadership will take ownership of this problem and correct it for the safety of all that use this State highway.
Mark Harris
02/22/2021 — 7:02 pm
We need more passing lanes, not straightening out curves. 4 passing lanes in 20 miles. I have been behind many folks driving 40-45 mph, that gets old when the speed limit is 55 mph.
HSVP C
03/04/2022 — 6:09 am
It is the policy of this website to not publish comments without a full real name. Thank you in advance for your understanding.