HSV Public Services Director Ken Unger is on a quest to stop speeding in Hot Springs Village. He wants Villagers to slow down, be present in the moment (meaning pay attention), and enjoy the view! Unger said he was requested to champion this cause.
Drive carefully to live joyfully!
Unger shared that he believes many people take the beauty of the Village for granted. When you slow down, you can enjoy the breathtaking views unique to the place we call home. Instead of speeding, you should slow down and enjoy the drive.
When you speed, you are not saving much time, cannot fully enjoy the scenery, and increase your accident risk. Remember, “a fast drive could be your last drive.”
Speeding is becoming a bigger and bigger issue here. We have a lot of road work occuring and POA employees and contractors working on road projects are at jeopardy if residents are not driving purposely and slowly in work areas. The neighborhoods are not ‘walker friendly.’ We don’t have sidewalks. If you are walking your dog in your neighborhood, you are walking on the road. The roads are fairly narrow and there are a lot of hills and curves. The fact is a lot of drivers appear to be moving at a pretty good clip, which can pose a hazard to workers and walkers.
Ken Unger, HSVPOA Director of Public Services
Unger intends to have a campaign that may include bumper stickers or T-shirts encouraging Villagers to “slow the roll.” A poll* may also be conducted to find the best campaign slogan. We have all seen the bumper stickers that say, “If you are following closely enough to read this bumper sticker, you are following too closely,” or “I am going the speed limit. Get off my trunk.” The Public Services Director wants the campaign to have a positive message encouraging villagers to slow down to enjoy the beauty. He envisions this to be a service campaign that is educational and fun.
Unger said that, as a community, we prefer not to take certain measures to clamp down on speeders. These efforts could include police ticketing people to the installation of more speed bumps.
When you zoom, so does your risk of accident!
“Speed is a contributing factor to many Village accidents! When you think about deer strikes and the accidents because of the hills and curves, people speeding are more highly prone to being involved in an accident,” Unger stated emphatically.
According to an article on Automotive Fleet, “A study presented at the University of California at Berkeley last year found that for every 1% increase in speed, a driver’s chance of an accident increases by 2%, the chance of serious injury increases by 3%, and the chance of a fatality increases by about 4%.”
The United States Department of Transportation says, “Speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in the US in 2021, while state-by-state variations in this percentage were common. The state of Arkansas registered at 21%…”
Inclement weather plays a role in determining a safe speed.
Inclement weather also plays a contributing factor in accidents. When the roads are wet or icy, drivers need to consider this and slow down.
NOLO says, “Arkansas’s basic speeding law prohibits driving at a speed that is ‘greater than is reasonable and prudent’ under the conditions then existing. The law also requires motorists to drive at a speed that may be necessary to avoid collisions. In other words, motorists must always drive at a safe speed. What a safe speed is will depend on the circumstances.”
What do you gain?
“It is fourteen (14) miles from gate to gate, and it takes about 20 to 22 minutes to drive the Village from one end to the other. If you were driving ten miles an hour below the speed limit, you are only talking about an extra five minutes to cover the entire span,” stated Unger.
Unger said he hopes people will consider this and ask, “What am I gaining by speeding?”
The Public Services Director said, “Hopefully, the more we talk about this issue and get it out there, people will start to appreciate that speeding isn’t helping them.”
The fundamental takeaway from Director Unger is to enjoy the scenery, obey the speed limit, slow down when weather conditions dictate, remain alert, and allow plenty of space between your vehicle and others. A slower drive is the drive worth taking. Remember, “a fast drive could be your last drive.”
*Note: Comment below if you would like to see a poll taken to find a ‘slow down to enjoy the view’ campaign slogan. Ken Unger says, “The more feedback we get, the better, and the more people will be aware.”
Click here to read HSVPOA DIRECTOR PROPOSED WATER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE.
To report Public Services Issues, HSVPOA Members can go here. Scroll down to the form.
Cover image courtesy of NHTSA.
By Cheryl Dowden
Contact Information for Public Services Director
Ken Unger
Director Public Services
Hot Springs Village
501-226-9609
Kunger@hsvpoa.org
Very good! Adding speed TABLES (not bumps) is a great way to slow people down. They are used in many communities. The first time I saw them was in a North Carolina area of town and it works. They are created according to the speed allowed — if you go too much faster, they give you quite the jolt! Otherwise, they are similar to the circle-intersections – once you get use to them, you know what to do. I see a lot of complaints about those of us driving slow. I can drive fast just like the other guy, but in this area, I have slowed down significantly because of deer, blind curves, etc. This is a large community, but it would be great to be able to walk, cycle, or drive a golf cart to get around — but that’s not safe the way people drive, which is sad for our community. Walking/cycling trails along the roadways are probably needed as more people move into the area and to encourage people to walk more.
Wow. Excellent idea. I wonder if one of our POA members could put together a driving safety class for us. Little things like following at a safe distance, moving at a safe speed, ‘low-G’ turns and corners, keep your eyes moving, etc. can make a HUGE difference in the number of accidents.
The campaign Ken mentions is a Great idea.
Very good article, Mr. Unger!
We think a campaign ‘slow down, enjoy the view’ is a great idea!
Several times when someone zooms by us, we say we hope we don’t see them crashed into a tree up ahead!
Thanks for commenting, Mike and Kris. Mr. Unger does a great job for the Village! – Cheryl Dowden
What is the plan for getting the word out to contractors and visitors? Contractors with heavy loads, taking up 2/3rds of the road, speeding on our streets are some of the most destructive and unsafe vehicles in the village.
Thank you Ken for your efforts trying to make speeders slow down. We have a beautiful place to live, so just slow down and enjoy the scenery. If you don’t observe the speed limit it may be your or someone else’s last ride. Thanks Cheryl for the info.
You are welcome, Danette. – Cheryl Dowden
Thanks Cheryl; extremely good information. Second line at the top, present or patience?
As I understand, a most important issue for Ken and Kelly is safety for HSV residents, POA employees, visitors, and anyone using HSV roads. The Public Services Committee (PSC) already has a road accident safety responsibility; suggest the PSC consider supporting Ken with a formal sub- committee addressing speeding, etc. I know one of our members has taught formal defensive driving.
You are welcome. I changed it. He wants Villagers to slow down, be present in the moment (meaning pay attention), and enjoy the view! I like your ideas! Thanks, so much for everything! – Cheryl Dowden