The Arkansas Highway Police (AHP), a division of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, has deployed new work zone camera technology that can detect handheld device usage while driving.
[Above photo by Arkansas DOT]
Currently, AHP uses cameras in interstate work zones to detect speeding violations. By mid-January, those work zone cameras will detect when drivers are using a handheld device in a work zone, such as a cell phone.
The agency stressed that cameras deployed for speed enforcement and detection of the use of a handheld device are solely used to assist officers in enforcing laws in work zones. An officer must be present for a warning or ticket to be issued, Arkansas DOT emphasized, as they are not part of a “ticket-by-mail” system.
The agency noted that the camera detects when a driver is holding a cell phone or handheld device, sends an alert to an officer downstream, and the officer can safely pull over the driver when they exit the work zone.
“It is against Arkansas law to use a handheld device in a work zone,” said AHP Chief Jeff Holmes in a statement. “Until now, the hands-free law in work zones has been relatively difficult to enforce. This new technology will help us keep road workers and the traveling public safer.”
The Arkansas DOT added that signs will alert drivers when they are entering a work zone with camera enforcement. Arkansas law stipulates that data captured from these cameras shall not be retained except when it is used to issue a warning or citation.
“Safety is our top priority [and] this includes the safety of workers within work zones, travelers passing through work zones, and officers stationed in or near work zones. Everyone deserves to make it home safely,” said Jared Wiley, director of the Arkansas DOT. “This technology is yet another tool officers can use to enforce the laws that were enacted with safety in mind.”
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