Little Rock, Arkansas – In an important move to improve road safety and protect highway workers, several new traffic safety laws passed during the 2025 Arkansas Legislative Session officially went into effect on Tuesday, August 5. These laws affect all travelers and aim to make roads safer for both drivers and construction personnel.
One of the most impactful changes is House Bill 1596, now known as Act 327 of 2025, which doubles fines for traffic violations in mobile work zones. Previously, only violations in static work zones were subject to increased fines. With this new law, drivers can now face double fines for infractions like speeding or reckless driving when passing mobile construction operations, such as road striping or pothole patching.
A mobile work zone refers to any temporary roadwork area on highways or roads where construction or maintenance is being performed by ARDOT, or city and county crews and contractors. These zones move frequently and may involve tasks like debris removal or minor repairs. Mobile work zones must be clearly marked using signs, barriers, or work trucks with flashing lights and a warning that reads, “mobile work zone/fines double.”…