North Little Rock man whose brother was killed while crossing the street calls for more pedestrian, bicycle safety after recent cyclist death

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- A North Little Rock man who lost his brother to an accident is pushing for more driver and pedestrian safety after a recent deadly bicycle crash.

On Monday at 9 p.m., North Little Rock police responded to a call at 19th Street and Pike Avenue intersection for a struck bicyclist. When police arrived, they said the man was already dead. His identity has not been released as police are trying to contact his next of kin.

Frank Lorge lost his brother Mark Lorge a little over a year ago when after he was hit and killed while crossing the street. He said the recent incident hits close to home.

“It’s just a horrible situation when a pedestrian or a bicyclist, similar situation, gets killed on the road by an inattentive driver,” Lorge said. “Well, all drivers need to pay more attention than they do; even the best of drivers need to keep a better eye out.”

One of the biggest things Lorge sees is people driving while on the phone. He said that people need to stay off all devices while driving in hopes of reducing the number of accidents and pedestrian fatalities.

“The state needs to enhance the laws to make stiffer penalties on inattentive drivers, and the municipalities need to do the same,” Lorge said.

He hopes to enhance one of the laws requiring police to check a vehicle’s black box or data recorder when it’s involved in a pedestrian fatality.

“The police need to do that to check and clear situations like that and like this one,” Lorde said.

According to the Arkansas Motor Vehicle and Traffic Laws and State Highway Commission Regulations, a black box records a vehicle’s speed, the use of brakes, seatbelts, airbag deployment, and other information that might be useful during an accident.

“We need everyone to be more aware and more attentive when they are driving,” Lorge said.

He said it’s important to know that getting behind the wheel and driving distracted can impact many lives.

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