arkansas law enforcement officers to join national crackdown against texting and driving
April 07, 2014
(LITTLE ROCK) – Arkansas law enforcement officers will join in a collective effort this month to crack down on violators who text while driving.
The statewide effort to curb texting while driving violations is part of a six day national initiative that begins April 10th.
The U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign is a twofold initiative that combines additional law enforcement patrols devoted to watching for drivers who are texting along with a national advertising and media outreach plan designed to inform the public about the stepped-up patrols and the driver’s responsibility to obey the law.
“Arkansas motorists need to know that we are serious about stopping the deadly behavior of texting while driving,” said Colonel Stan Witt, Director of the Arkansas State Police and the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “The practice has become far too common and strict enforcement of texting laws is one way to break what has turned into a bad habit.”
Arkansas law prohibits texting while driving, regardless of the driver’s age. It is also a “primary offense law” which means a police officer or sheriff’s deputy can initiate a traffic stop without observing any other violation. Fines can range as high as $100.