New Work Zone Cameras Catch Drivers Using Cell Phones

Arkansas Highway Police, a division of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, has upgraded its work zone camera systems so they can detect cell phone use by drivers moving through designated work zones. The change is part of a broader push to crack down on distracted driving as crashes and fatalities linked to phones remain a major concern on Arkansas roads.The upgraded cameras monitor traffic moving through work zones and flag instances where drivers appear to be holding or actively using a phone or other handheld device while driving. When a violation is confirmed under Arkansas law, the system supports the process of issuing citations tied to the vehicle and incident, similar to how automated work zone speed enforcement operates.Arkansas law already prohibits handheld phone use in work zones, but enforcement historically depended on officers catching drivers in the act from the roadside. With automated detection, the likelihood of getting caught spikes dramatically, which officials expect will push more drivers to put their phones down and pay attention in active work areas.Drivers passing through Arkansas work zones should expect that both their speed and their phone use may be monitored by camera systems, not just by officers in vehicles. Choosing to keep a phone in hand could now mean a mailed citation in addition to the elevated penalties that already apply in work zones under state traffic laws.

This column originally appeared in Forbes.