Little Rock — The Arkansas Highway Police will begin using new work zone camera technology to help identify drivers who are holding handheld electronic devices while driving, officials announced Friday.
The agency, a division of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said the cameras are already used in interstate work zones to assist with speed enforcement.
By mid-January, the cameras will also be able to detect when a driver is holding a cellphone or similar handheld device while traveling through a work zone.
“It is against Arkansas law to use a handheld device in a work zone,” said Arkansas Highway Police Chief Jeff Holmes. He said the technology will make the hands-free law easier to enforce and improve safety for road workers and motorists.
When a potential violation is detected, the system sends an alert to an officer positioned beyond the work zone. The driver may then be stopped after exiting the area. Officials said citations will not be issued automatically and will not be mailed.
Jared Wiley, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said the technology is intended to enhance safety for construction crews, drivers, and law enforcement officers working in or near work zones.
Signs will be posted to alert motorists when they are entering work zones with camera enforcement. State law restricts the retention of data collected by the cameras to issuing warnings or citations.