by Drew Smith
An 18-year-old student died after getting hit by a distracted driver while she was using a crosswalk near Garland Parking Garage.
The driver, a 17-year-old, admitted to using her phone at the time of the incident on Feb. 2, according to UAPD.
Preston Starkey, a UA freshman, saw the collision take place.
“I was definitely shocked. I didn’t think that anything like that could happen, but you really don’t think about it until it does happen,” Starkey said.
Emergency services transported the student to Washington Regional Medical Center where she was treated until she died on Feb. 4 from her injuries.
The hospital issued a statement that said, “The family will issue no other comments at this time and asks the public respect their privacy.”
In 2015, 556 automobile accidents took place in Arkansas. Approximately 41 percent of those crashes happened because of distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association.
“Distracted driving is definitely a prevalent issue that is going on right now, especially on campus,” Starkey said.
The driver was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and use of a handheld device while driving. Washington County could update the driver’s charges as a result of the student’s death.
Arkansas drivers who are caught using a phone can be ticketed and fined. State law further prohibits drivers under the age of 18 from using hands-free devices while driving.