Arkansas Car Insurance 101 (Compare Costs & Companies)

Arkansas has mandatory vehicle insurance laws that require you to maintain at least minimum liability insurance coverage to drive in the state, but most drivers should carry full coverage car insurance. Our Arkansas car insurance 101 guide goes over everything you need to know about finding affordable Arkansas car insurance, from what coverages to consider to the best companies in Arkansas.

Continue reading for a full breakdown of Arkansas auto insurance. When you are ready to start shopping for cheap car insurance in Arkansas, enter your ZIP code into our free tool above to get quotes from companies in your area.

Arkansas Car Insurance Coverage and Rates

One of the best parts about insurance in Arkansas is that the state’s average premium of $906.34 is significantly lower than the national average premium of $1,009.38.

A number of factors are considered when determining your insurance rates, so yours may be higher or lower than the state average. Everything from your age to your ZIP code can impact your premiums, so read on for more information about how your insurance rates are determined.

Arkansas’ Car Culture

When it comes to car culture in Arkansas, the charitable nature of the state’s citizens is clearly visible. Arkansas is home to the Bikes, Blues, and BBQ rally, the country’s largest non-profit motorcycle rally, which has raised more than two million dollars for local charities over the last 20 years.

In Huntsville, you can attend the Cruz N the Square charity car show, which has been raising money for charity for more than a decade. Mustang aficionados can join the Ozark Mustang Club, a car club that raises money for local charities in Arkansas. It is abundantly clear that the citizens of Arkansas love their cars and love to raise money for charity.

Arkansas Minimum Coverage

Most states in the country are at-fault states and Arkansas is no exception. At-fault means that, in the event of an accident, the driver at fault for the accident is responsible for the financial costs associated with the accident.

Arkansas requires drivers to carry minimum levels of liability coverage requires proof of that insurance to register your vehicle. Your required minimum coverage is as follows:

Property Damage – $25,000 per accident
Bodily Injury – $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident

There are some states that require PIP and uninsured motorist coverage as well, but Arkansas is not one of them. Just because they aren’t required doesn’t mean they aren’t valuable to you so consider their benefit before you choose to opt out of these types of coverage.

Keep in mind that these are minimum levels of coverage, not maximum, and when you consider that new vehicles typically cost more than $25,000, most drivers should strongly consider having higher levels of coverage in place.

Forms of Financial Responsibility

Arkansas does have technological systems in place to track your insurance information, so they don’t require drivers to carry an insurance card. It might be a good idea to carry one anyway, however, since it is possible for an insurance company to fall behind in their reporting to the state.

Whether or not you choose to carry an insurance card, you must carry an SR-1 form in your vehicle at all times. If you find yourself in an accident you will be required to submit the form to the state, so you will need to have one on hand to gather all the required information in the event of an accident.

Not having an SR-1 form can carry severe penalties, so carrying one is an important part of protecting yourself in case of an accident.

Premiums as a Percentage of Income

There are a host of factors that can impact your insurance premiums. Everything from your driving record to your marital status can affect your rates, sometimes in a positive way and sometimes in a negative way. This can make figuring your premium as a percentage of your income difficult.

Drivers with less than stellar records could be spending 20-30 percent or more of their income on their insurance, whereas someone in their late 30s or early 40s with an excellent driving history might spend less than five percent of their income on car insurance premiums.

To manually determine the percentage of your income spent on your car insurance, take the amount of your premium divided by your income (either gross or net) then multiply by 100.

For example, if a person is earning $40,000 and paying $2,000 for insurance each year, they spend five percent of their gross income on their annual car insurance premiums.

As they get older their insurance rates will change, but other factors such as their ZIP code and credit history will also impact their rates, which means they may not be able to predict whether their rates will get better or worse over the years.

You can use our calculator below to determine the percentage of income you are spending on your car insurance.

Core Coverage

Please note, the above data from the NAIC is based on the state minimums. Your choices regarding coverage levels will impact your premiums.

While liability coverage is required by law in Arkansas, there is a lot more to insuring your vehicle than just basic liability. Insurance is about financial protection in the event of an accident, so you may want to consider any or all of these types of coverage:

• Liability – Liability insurance offers financial protection by paying for damages to another person’s vehicle if you are at fault in an accident. It also covers medical bills in the event of bodily injury someone else sustained in an accident where you were at fault.
• Uninsured Motorist Coverage – Uninsured motorist coverage is not mandatory in Arkansas, but is often still considered a necessary purchase by many. It covers you at the same levels as your liability coverage if you are in an accident where an uninsured driver was at fault.
• Collision – Collision insurance protects you by paying for damages to your vehicle if you are at fault in an accident, whether you hit another vehicle or a stationary object such as a wall or post. Keep in mind that, if you are responsible for a loan on your car, you may be required by the terms of your loan to have active collision insurance on your policy.
• Comprehensive – Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car that isn’t caused during an accident. Some examples of what might be covered under a comprehensive policy are flood damage, theft, and damages caused by an animal.

Every insurance company has their own guidelines as to what they will and will not cover under your comprehensive policy, so make sure you do your research before buying.

Additional Liability

When it comes to additional coverage, you are not required to carry anything beyond the minimum according to state law. However, you may wish to consider both Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage (UM) and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) as well.

UM coverage takes the place of the liability insurance the other person should have (or doesn’t have enough of, depending on the situation) and PIP applies no matter who was at fault in the accident. PIP is usually a smaller amount of coverage, sometimes as low as $2,000, designed to cover your most basic needs if you require medical care due to an accident.

But PIP and UM are about your medical needs. What about the needs of the other person if you are at fault in an accident?

While the state minimum might be $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage, that doesn’t mean it should be the maximum amount of liability coverage. You can always increase your levels of liability coverage, and most people should seriously consider carrying more than the state minimum.

You can always choose to purchase more than the legal minimum of insurance. Many companies offer higher coverage levels, typically $50,000 to $100,000 in property damage and $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident bodily injury, for which you will pay a higher monthly premium.

Hopefully, in an at-fault accident, you will cause minimal property damage and nobody will get hurt. But what if it is a major accident?

You could hit someone in a brand new BMW. They might have three or four people in the car, all of whom need medical care. A young parent could easily have both of their children in the car, so keep that in mind when looking at that $50,000 bodily injury cap.

If your insurance only covers $25,000 for property damage and $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury, you will still be required to pay out-of-pocket for any damages beyond what your insurance policy covers, so choose your coverage amounts wisely.

It might be important to you to consider the loss ratio of the company as well. The loss ratio is the amount paid out in claims by a company versus the amount of premium taken in by the company.

According to the NAIC, a loss ratio in the 60s or 70s is a good one — it means they aren’t charging too much premium and they are regularly paying out claims to their customers.

Add-ons, Endorsements, and Riders

Just because you have all of the core coverage types mentioned above and have chosen higher levels of liability coverage doesn’t mean you are fully protected. There are several other types of coverage available that you may need to keep yourself financially secure.

• Umbrella Policy – If you’ve calculated your financial needs and you don’t think that $250,000/$500,000 in bodily injury and $100,0000 in property damage would be enough to protect your assets in a serious accident, you might consider an umbrella policy. Umbrella policies provide a minimum of $1,000,000 in liability coverage.
• Rental Reimbursement – Rental reimbursement covers the cost of your rental car while the vehicle you own is being repaired due to an insured loss. If your car suffered hail damage, for example, comprehensive insurance would cover that cost, but rental reimbursement coverage would cover the cost of a rental car during repairs.
• Roadside Assistance – When it comes to towing services or basic repairs on the side of the road, roadside assistance coverage would help cover those costs.
• GAP Insurance – GAP insurance typically covers the difference between what your insurance policy pays and the amount you still owe for your car. GAP insurance is there to prevent you from being forced to make payments on a totaled vehicle, but the type of GAP coverage available varies widely from company to company and state to state, so research carefully before buying.
• Non-Owner Insurance – If you don’t own a car but you still drive somewhat regularly, you might need a non-owner insurance plan to provide you with third party liability coverage.
• Classic Car Insurance – The monetary value of a classic or vintage car is often worth more than standard depreciation. If you have a classic car you will need classic car insurance to make sure your vehicle is protected at its full value.
• Usage-Based/Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance – A device can be installed in your car or (an app installed on your phone) to record your driving information (speed, mileage, etc.) and report it to your insurance company who then offer you discounts on your coverage for being a better driver. This can have unforeseen consequences, however, so consider carefully before buying.

Male vs. Female Rates

While there are some states that make it illegal to rate people by gender, Arkansas is not one of them. Insurance companies in the state are still allowed to use your gender when determining your rates.

Usually this means that women will pay lower rates than men, but that isn’t always the case, so make sure you get a quote from multiple companies to get the best rate.

Even though your gender does impact your premium, insurance costs still vary widely by company, so comparison shopping for a policy can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars per year on car insurance, as evidenced by the chart below.

In the tables above, the rates are determined by actual purchased coverage by drivers in Arkansas. It also includes rates for high-risk drivers and drivers who choose to carry higher-than-minimum levels of coverage, so these numbers may be higher than normal in your situation. 

Cheapest Rates by ZIP Code

Your ZIP code plays a large role in determining your insurance rates. Everything from the number of accidents per year to the number of cars stolen in a ZIP code goes into determining what the rate for that area will be, which means that moving could dramatically change your annual premiums if it puts you in a new ZIP code.

Cheapest Rates by City

The city you live in can also have a dramatic impact on your insurance premiums. The rates for your city can be dictated by crime levels, street parking availability, and a wide variety of other factors.

It is important to remember that changing your ZIP code still affects your rates, even within the same city. This means you need to verify the rates based on your city and based on your ZIP code when choosing an insurance policy.

Please note that the rates in the charts above are based on actual, purchased coverage, including things like Med Pay and other coverages you might not choose to elect for yourself. Your rates may be different based on your personal information and the coverages you choose. 

How Much Car Insurance Rates in Arkansas

Explore the diversity in car insurance rates across various cities in Arkansas. Choose your city from the options provided to grasp the intricacies of insurance costs in your locality.

Best Arkansas Car Insurance Companies

Choosing the right car insurance company for you can be difficult. Some insurance companies might offer a wider variety of options, while others may provide better overall coverage. Other companies might be the most affordable option, but how do their policies compare to the other available plans? How do you decide which is right for you?

Making a decision can be a bit easier with more information. When choosing which insurance company should protect you and your vehicle you may want to consider several different aspects of the plans available to you when making your choice.

The Largest Companies Financial Rating

One of the best ways to determine the stability level of an insurance company is by its financial rating. A.M. Best is just one of the organizations that rates each insurance company based on their financial stability — whether they have the financial assets needed to pay out claims over the course of the year.

A company’s financial rating shouldn’t be your only determining factor. Just because a company has excellent financial ratings doesn’t mean they have happy customers or reasonable rates.

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Companies with Best Ratings

An insurance company with an A rating or higher is typically very financially stable. Since all of the biggest companies in Arkansas are rated A or higher, you could choose any one of them and feel secure that they will be stable.

Obviously, a company’s financial rating is just one of the many factors you should think about when choosing an insurance provider, but this should be one of the many pieces of information that guides your purchase.

Companies with Most Complaints in Arkansas

In most states, consumers are encouraged to report complaints regarding their insurance companies to the Attorney General’s office or another government office. But how do you know if you should file a claim?

The NAIC can help guide you through the process. They haveapps for both Android and iPhone that can walk you through the steps to take after an accident, including reporting an issue to the state if necessary.

When in doubt, you can always contact the consumer protection line with the Attorney General’s office at (800) 482-8982.

When it comes to customer satisfaction, J.D. Power and Associates rates companies on five different levels – interactions, policy offerings, price, billing process/policy information, and claims.

According to their study, Shelter ranked highest in customer satisfaction in the Central Region, followed by Auto-Owners Insurance and Allstate. Nationwide and Liberty Mutual were at the bottom of the list.

Cheapest Companies in Arkansas

While cost is important, it is just one of the many factors you should consider when choosing a plan. If a policy doesn’t meet your coverage needs it doesn’t matter how affordable it may be, so review each policy carefully before you accept it.

Also, remember that not every policy is available to every person. USAA, for example, is an insurance company only available to members of the U.S. military and their families. This means not everyone can sign up through USAA, even though they typically have the lowest prices.

Commute Rates by Companies

Your commute plays an important role in determining your insurance rates. Insurance rates based on your commute are often broken into categories, such as 10-mile commute/6,000 annual mileage or 25-mile commute/12,000 annual mileage.

The more time spent driving on the road each day, the more likely you are to file a claim. Because of this, if you have a long commute you will likely pay a higher premium for your policy.

Whether a claim is as big as a totaled vehicle or something smaller, such as a windshield replacement, longer drive times expose you to more situations that might damage your vehicle.

Coverage Level Rates by Companies

The price of your insurance can vary significantly depending on which types of coverage you choose. Liability only coverage will be significantly cheaper than full coverage, but it will cover a lot less, so consider that carefully before you make a decision.

Your individual life choices also have a big impact on what you pay for insurance. Driving a seven-year-old Mazda? Your comprehensive and collision coverage will probably be much cheaper than if you were driving a brand new Audi.

Take a look at the chart below to see how your choice of coverage can impact your rates with each insurance company.

Credit History Rates by Companies

The chart below can help explain how your credit rates can impact your insurance rates.

Though many people wouldn’t immediately see the connection between the two, one of the big things that can impact your rates is your credit history.

Statistically, the lower your credit score, the more likely you are to file a claim. This means a low credit score can raise your rates or possibly even cause you to be denied coverage, depending on the circumstances.

If your credit rating is low that can impact your rates, but it doesn’t mean you have no options. You can still comparison shop between companies, potentially saving yourself hundreds of dollars a year.

You can also work to improve your credit rating to help lower your insurance costs, which means that paying off your credit card debt and bringing up your credit score is good for your finances in multiple ways.

Driving Record Rates by Companies

Your driving record can also have a noticeable impact on your insurance premiums. This means that someone with a poor driving record can dramatically reduce their insurance rates over time by changing their behavior on the road.

While a speeding ticket may only seem like a small fine at first, it will be reported to your insurance company and could potentially cause a rate increase, so keep that in mind when you are rushing home after work.

Largest Car Insurance Companies in Arkansas

While size isn’t the only factor you should consider, choosing a well-known company with multiple office locations can be a good way to know you’ll be able to find someone who can help you when you need to file a claim.

Recommendations from other customers are also easier to find with larger companies because a larger customer base means their are more people there are who can make a recommendation. Check out the largest insurers in Oregon in the chart below:

Number of Insurers in Arkansas

Arkansas currently has 12 insurance companies domiciled in the state, but this doesn’t mean that these are your only options. There are another 887 foreign companies doing business in Arkansas, giving everyone in the state literally hundreds of options when it comes to their insurance provider.

Keep in mind that foreign doesn’t mean from another country. In this sense, foreign simply means that the company is headquartered in another state.

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

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Arkansas Laws

Each state has its own specific insurance and driving laws. What is legal in one state might be illegal in another, while something against the law in Arkansas could be completely legal somewhere else, so don’t assume that just because you know the law in Florida you won’t break the law in Arkansas.

Car Insurance Laws

Car insurance laws are changed and reinterpreted all the time, much like most other laws. It is important to stay up-to-date on the changes to traffic and insurance laws so you don’t accidentally break the law.

The Arkansas DMV website is an excellent place to stay abreast of all the changes to traffic and insurance laws in the state.

How Arkansas Laws for Insurance are Determined

In Arkansas, laws are passed through bicameral legislation. Laws that make it past both the house and the senate can be approved or vetoed by the governor, but if the governor takes no action within five days, the law automatically passes.

Windshield Coverage

Arkansas has no specific laws regarding windshield replacement.

Your insurance company is not allowed to require you to use specific repair shops when you file a claim, but they are allowed to use aftermarket or other used parts when replacing your windshield if they have a notice in their contract.

High-Risk Insurance

If you have enough tickets, accidents, or traffic convictions, eventually insurance companies may consider you an too high risk, refusing to write you a policy. But Arkansas requires all drivers to carry active insurance, so how can you follow the law?

If you need a policy but cannot find an insurer, you can reach out to the Automobile Insurance Plan of Arkansas at (800) 413-5808 for assistance. They will assign you to an insurance company that is required to provide you a policy, though the premium may be more expensive than you would like.

If you are required to provide proof of liability coverage, you will need an SR-22. This is the form that proves to the state you have active insurance coverage. If you need an SR-22 for proof of liability, you should contact the DMV for assistance.

Low-Cost Insurance

At this time, Arkansas has no discounts available specifically for people on Medicaid or other government assistance programs, so unfortunately, drivers in the state must pay full price. Luckily, there are other ways to save money on your insurance with one of the many discounts available through almost every insurance company.

Most companies offer basic discounts, such as good driving record discounts or discounts for people who have multiple lines of insurance, but that is just the beginning.

Many insurance companies also give occupational discounts to nurses, teachers, active military, and several other professions. Some insurers also give discounts to students with a high GPA. Some even offer discounts through certain employer groups, so check with your HR department to see if they offer car insurance discounts as one of your employee benefits.

Automobile Insurance Fraud in Arkansas

Insurance fraud isn’t just filing an illegitimate claim. Filing false paperwork, agents stealing your premium payments, or purposely overestimating the damage in a claim are all forms of insurance fraud. In Arkansas, insurance fraud for more than $300 is considered a felony.

Purposely damaging your property to file a claim is also insurance fraud, which means if you’re caught setting your car on fire or driving it into a lake so you can file a claim, you will face severe penalties.

Insurance companies take insurance fraud very seriously, so be sure to follow the law when it comes to buying insurance and filing claims. At the same time, if you believe your insurance company is fraudulently denying your claim be sure to reach out to the Attorney General for assistance.

Statute of Limitations

The law in Arkansas states that you have three years to file a lawsuit over bodily injury or property damage in a car accident, otherwise you are beyond the statute of limitations.

Almost any issue that can be taken to court will run into a statute of limitations, so if you believe you’ve been in an accident or filed a claim that needs to go through the court system, make sure you file right away to avoid running into the statute of limitations and having your case denied.

Arkansas Specific Laws

While many laws are the same from state to state, every state has its own unique laws, as well, and Arkansas is no exception. For example, in Little Rock, it is against the law to suddenly stop or start your car in the parking lot of a McDonald’s.

Make sure you know the local laws to prevent a ticket or accident.

Vehicle Licensing Laws

Every state has slightly different requirements for getting your driver’s license. Those requirements are often different even for local residents, with different standards for new drivers, experienced drivers who are new state residents, and senior citizens.

If you need to get your license for the first time, or even just update or renew your license, you’ll need to make sure you follow the rules and regulations on in Arkansas.

REAL ID

The REAL ID Act is a federal law designed to help combat terrorism. REAL IDs are much more secure, increasing the likelihood that someone’s ID matches their identity and making it harder to create a fake ID. Your ID will need to be compliant by October 2020, so don’t wait to update your ID.

Arkansas is compliant with the REAL ID Act, which means that your Arkansas REAL ID allows you to board commercial airplanes and enter federal facilities. If you want to make sure your ID is a REAL ID, you can check the top right corner for a gold star.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance

If you are caught driving without insurance in Arkansas you will face consequences, such as:

• Suspended license and registration – Your license plate will be removed and your registration suspended.
• Reinstatement fees – It is a $20 reinstatement fee, plus any applicable towing and storage fees.
• SR-22 – You will be required to have proof of insurance on file with the state.

Teen Driver Laws

Like most states, Arkansas has graduated laws for teen drivers. Teens in Arkansas start driving with a learner’s permit and slowly work their way up to a full license over time.

In Arkansas, a teenager as young as 14 may get their learner’s permit. They are then required to hold their learner’s permit for at least six months. There are other restrictions listed in the chart below:

Older Driver License Renewal Procedures

Arkansas has several laws on the books to help make sure older drivers are safe on the road, such as:

• Vision Requirements – To earn an unrestricted license your vision must be 20/40. With glasses or contacts, it must be 20/50. With two functional eyes, you are expected to have a 140-degree field of vision. With one functional eye, the field of vision must be at least 105 degrees. Renewing your license in person requires you to pass an on-site vision test.
• Requested Reports From Family – Arkansas allows family members who are concerned about a senior citizen’s driving ability can report it to the OMV. Once a report has been made, the state may require additional information or a road test for the driver, possibly placing restrictions on their license.

While Arkansas is less stringent in their laws for senior drivers than many other states, they still take the dangers associated with slower reaction times and reduced visual abilities very seriously.

New Residents

New residents in Arkansas are required to transfer their driver’s license within 30 days of moving to the state. You will need to take your license from your previous state of residence to your local OMV office, along with proof of residency, your social security card, and proof of identity, to get your new Arkansas license.

License Renewal Procedures

Arkansas is set up to help make your license renewal as easy as possible. They encourage you to renew online at every other renewal and to find answers to your renewal questions (REAL ID requirements, how to pre-register) through their website.

For the general population, you will be required to renew your license every eight years. Seniors have the option of renewing every four years. If you have any questions about the process, you are always welcome to reach out to the Department of Finance and Administration.

Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS)

Like most states, Arkansas assigns a point value to traffic violations to track your driving history. The more serious the violation, the higher the assigned point value. If you accumulate too many points, you will see repercussions such as:

• 10 to 13 points – The Agency Director will review your license history
• 14 to 17 points – Potential license suspension for up to 5 days
• 18 to 23 points – License suspension for up to 10 days
• 24 points or more – License suspension for up to 20 days

If you accumulate 10 points or more, you will be required by the state to complete a defensive driving course. Beyond all of that, as your point total increases, so will your insurance premium.

Rules of the Road

Laws about driving and insurance are almost always determined at a state level, so everything from children’s car seat requirements to minimum insurance levels in the state is specific to Arkansas.

This means that knowing the law in one state doesn’t guarantee you will be following the law in another. To keep yourself safe and prevent traffic tickets, make sure you stay up to date with the traffic laws in Arkansas.

Fault vs. No-Fault

Arkansas is an at-fault state. This means the driver who is responsible for an accident is also responsible for paying the financial costs of the accident.

In an at-fault state, if you are hit by another driver, you can file a claim with their insurance company or take them to court to cover any damages you’ve suffered. Because this can take some time to sort our with the insurance companies, it can be beneficial to have PIP or coverage in place to provide some money right away.

If you hit someone else, they have all the same rights, so make sure you have sufficient liability coverage in place to protect yourself financially.

Seat Belt and Car Seat Laws

When it comes to seat belt laws, Arkansas is a primary enforcement state, which means you can be pulled over because you were seen driving without a seat belt. Additionally, if you are pulled over for another offense they can ticket you for not wearing your seat belt as well. This means you are better off not taking chances and just buckling up.

When it comes to car seat laws, Arkansas requires children to meet the following height and weight limits before they can graduate out of the age-appropriate restraints:

• Children under six years old who weigh less than 60 pounds must be restrained in a car seat
• Children over six years old who weigh more than 60 pounds can ride without a car seat but must wear a seat belt
• Children under six years old who weigh more than 60 pounds can legally ride without a car seat, but you will still want to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations

Keep Right and Move Over Laws

In Arkansas, you are not allowed to drive on the left unless:

• You are overtaking and passing another vehicle driving in the same direction
• When the right half of a roadway is under construction or repair
• You are driving a roadway divided into three marked lanes for traffic
• You are driving a roadway designated for one-way traffic
• When the right half of the road is in disrepair or unsafe
• When preparing to exit the road on the left

If there is an emergency vehicle stopped on the road to render aid, you are required by law to put a full car lane between you and the emergency vehicle. If you don’t have an additional lane available, you are required to slow down and follow any instructions given by a peace officer if one is on the scene.

Speed Limits

Arkansas has two types of speeding laws – basic speeding laws and absolute limits.

The basic speeding laws state that what makes a speed appropriate is dictated by the current circumstances. What is an appropriate speed for a sunny day is not the same as what would be reasonable on a rainy night.

Absolute limits state that whatever the posted speed limit is, that is the legal limit and going above it is breaking the law.

Ridesharing

The law in Arkansas states that rideshare drivers must be categorized as an independent contractor.

Arkansas has several insurance companies that have rideshare policies available to drivers, so if you are a rideshare driver there are a lot of options available to you.

Automation on the Road

Arkansas currently allows testing of automated vehicles and fleets on public roads. It isn’t clear whether or not the automated vehicle requires an operator and, if so, whether that operator must have a valid driver’s license. Liability coverage is still required for automated vehicles.

Safety Laws

Arkansas passes laws designed to keep drivers safe while on the road. Whether someone is talking on the phone while driving or driving under the influence, they are putting the lives of other people in danger. The state has laws in place to address and prevent these dangerous behaviors to keep the citizens of Arkansas safe.

Knowing the laws is important, but you should also remember that laws can and do change over time, so just because something was legal in the past doesn’t mean it is still legal today.

On the other hand, things that were illegal just a few years ago might be legal today, so make sure to do your research when it comes to driving safety laws.

DWI Laws

Arkansas classifies anyone with a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08 or higher as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). Four or more DWI incidents within five years will be classified as felony charges. The table below lays out the charges and penalties for DWI convictions.

In Arkansas, you can be charged with DWI while driving any type of vehicle, including a car, ATV, or motorboat.

If you are convicted of a DWI, a judge will decide how much jail time you should serve and what fines to charge, within the legal parameters. Your jail time and fines will be based on any prior DWI convictions you may have had within the last five years in Arkansas or any other state.

Arkansas has implied consent laws, which means that anyone driving in the state is assumed to have consented to a breath or chemical test. If you refuse a breath or chemical test to check your blood alcohol content (BAC), you will be subject to the same fines, suspensions, and other punishments as if you tested .08 or higher.

Some medical conditions can impact your BAC as well. For example, people who have had bariatric surgery often find that it takes very little alcohol to push them beyond a .08, so they must be cautious when climbing behind the wheel after having a drink.

Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws

While recreational marijuana use is not legal in Arkansas, the state does allow for medical marijuana use in some instances. Though the state does not currently have any laws on the books for driving under the influence of marijuana, you may still be subject to the DWI standards mentioned above.

Distracted Driving Laws

Texting, using social media, eating, adjusting your GPS, and talking on the phone are just a few of the many distractions that drivers routinely face behind the wheel.

According to the CDC, there are three types of distracted driving:

Visual – taking your eyes off the road
Manual – taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive – taking your mind off of driving

Texting is the worst form of distracted driving because it combines all three forms of distraction. Because of this, Arkansas is just one of many states with strict laws about phone use while driving, including a texting ban.

Driving Safely in Arkansas

Driving is an incredibly dangerous activity. Nationally, there are more than 30,000 car accidents a year, causing almost 25,000 fatalities and more than two million injuries.

To keep yourself and your loved ones safe, you’ll want to be aware of the dangers that go along with driving — knowing the most dangerous roads, commuting times, and weather conditions can help you prepare for and possibly even prevent an accident or even a tragic fatality.

Vehicle Theft in Arkansas

Comprehensive coverage will pay to replace a stolen vehicle, but the possibility of replacing the car doesn’t stop a victim from feeling scared and violated.

Though it may seem surprising, vehicle theft isn’t just a worry for people with new or expensive automobiles — the most commonly stolen vehicles are often older family sedans or minivans. Unfortunately, this means the people most likely to have their cars stolen are also the most likely to avoid comprehensive coverage in the first place.

While many people choose not to buy comprehensive coverage in an attempt to keep their insurance costs low, keep in mind that liability coverage doesn’t protect you in case of car theft. If your car is one of the ones on the table of most commonly stolen vehicles above, you may want to think carefully about buying comprehensive coverage.

Below is a table showing the numbers of motor vehicle thefts in 2017, organized by city.

Road Fatalities in Arkansas

According to the NHTSA, there were 516 traffic fatalities in Arkansas in 2018. Of those, 134 were alcohol-related fatalities and 131 were speeding-related fatalities.

It isn’t just speeding or DWIs that cause traffic accidents, however. Whether you were playing on your phone or surprised by a deer crossing the highway, a traffic accident can cause serious damage to you and your vehicle, sometimes tragically ending in death.

Most Fatal Highway in Arkansas

US-65 goes through the entirety of the state of Arkansas, joining Louisiana to Missouri and traveling through the capital city of Little Rock. It isn’t surprising, then, to discover that US-65 is the most dangerous highway in the state, with 120 fatalities in the last 10 years.

Fatal Crashes by Weather Condition and Light Condition

Weather and light conditions have a significant impact on the number of accidents, with icy road surfaces or dark, poorly lit areas increasing the odds that you’ll be in an accident.

Weather can increase the severity of an accident, taking what otherwise would have been a minor incident and turning it into a situation where injuries or even fatalities occur.

Be cautious when driving in the dark, fog, or in inclement weather. Use your headlights, put away your phone, and leave yourself plenty of space to make sure you aren’t put in an unnecessarily dangerous situation.

Fatalities (All Crashes) by County

In 2018, Crittenden, Lawrence, and Pulaski counties saw a noticeable increase in their number of traffic fatalities.

Traffic Fatalities

Since 2009, there has been a significant decrease in the overall number of traffic fatalities in Arkansas.

Fatalities by Person Type

2018 saw a significant increase in the number of pedestrians who were killed in traffic accidents.

Fatalities by Crash Type

The number of fatalities caused by speeding in Arkansas has gone up significantly since 2014.

Five-Year Trend For The Top 10 Counties

Benton county saw a noticeable decrease in the number of fatalities in 2017 and 2018.

Fatalities Involving Speeding by County

Pulaski County had the highest number of fatalities involving speeding in Arkansas in 2018.

Fatalities in Crashes Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver by County

Pulaski County had the highest number of alcohol-impaired fatalities in Arkansas in 2018. Most counties saw only one or two alcohol-related fatalities in any given year.

 Teen Drinking and Driving

Out of the more than 700,000 citizens under the age of 18 in the state, only 44 were arrested for DUI in 2016.

EMS Response Time

EMS response time is much faster in urban areas than it is in rural areas. Even though urban areas see a higher number of total crashes, the people involved in those crashes are more likely to receive the care they need when they need it to help them survive the accident.

Transportation in Arkansas

Like most places, Arkansas has a variety of public transit options available. The state works with the Federal Transit Act to provide transportation options to rural areas of 50,000 or fewer people, creating seven different rural bus lines with no restrictions on who can use them.

Because of the way the transit system is funded and designed, individuals will need to look up the transit lines specific to their region when searching for public transportation options.

Car Ownership

The average household in Arkansas has two vehicles, with 538,000 households, or 42 percent of Arkansas residents having two vehicles in 2017. This is far more than the 279,000 households who have three cars and the 264,000 households that have only one vehicle.

There are 116,000 households that have four cars and 47,000 households with five or more, but the number of households that don’t have a vehicle at all is a surprising 29,000, which means there are significant numbers of people who get by with only bikes, walking, and public transportation.

Commute Time

Just over 1 percent of commuters in Arkansas have what is referred to as a “super commute,” which means they are driving 90 minutes or more each way, though the numbers don’t specify if that is a driving commute or if they are including public transit in their calculations.

The average commute time in Arkansas is 20.8 minutes, which comes in significantly under the national average of 25.5 minutes.

At the other end of the spectrum, almost 5 percent of commuters in Arkansas have a commute of fewer than five minutes each way. Just over 3.5 percent of people in Arkansas are lucky enough to work from home, giving them no commute at all.

Commuter Transportation

In 2017, a whopping 83.3 percent of people in Arkansas commuted to work alone, which means the vast majority of cars on the road during rush hour only have one person in them.

Another 9.86 percent of commuters in Arkansas carpooled to work, while a lucky 3.68 percent of people work at home, which means their commute is completely virtual. Only .3 percent of people in the state use public transportation to get to and from work, while almost 2 percent of people walk to and from work each day.

Traffic Congestion

According to the TomTom Traffic Index, traffic congestion in Little Rock has decreased one percent since 2017. Traffic congestion is worse during rush hour, with an extra six minutes of travel time in the average half-hour commute in the morning and an extra eight minutes of travel time in the average half-hour commute in the evenings.

While your commute time is impacted by traffic congestion, it is also affected by the number of accidents on the road, and both scenarios play a major part in determining in your insurance premiums.

Moving your commute times a few minutes earlier or later than usual can be a simple way to reduce the time you spend in traffic and help reduce your insurance premiums.

You can also make larger lifestyle changes, like taking the bus or train to work, or asking your boss if you can work from home for part of the week, to reduce your overall commute time. This is an effective way to help keep your premiums low.

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