During the 2025 Arkansas Legislative Session, several laws passed that Arkansas travelers should know. These laws go into effect Tuesday, August 5.
Fines Double in Mobile Work Zones
House Bill (HB) 1596, now Act 327 of 2025, doubles fines for moving traffic violations in mobile work zones. Previously, traffic fines were only doubled in static (or stationary) work zones.
This new law applies to all “construction personnel,” which includes ARDOT and its contractors as well as city and county road departments and their contractors.
A static “highway work zone” is defined as any area upon a highway or road in Arkansas where construction, maintenance, or any other type of work is begin performed or is in progress by employees of ARDOT, cities, counties, or contractors.
A “mobile work zone” is defined as any area upon a highway or road in Arkansas where construction, maintenance, or any other type of work is being performed for a limited period of time by employees of ARDOT, cities, counties, or contractors. Mobile work zones can include debris removal, road striping, pothole patching, etc. Mobile work zones must be marked by a sign, channelizing device, barrier, or work vehicle with lights.
To help drivers know when they are entering a mobile work zone, “mobile work zone/fines double” signs will be displayed on the back of ARDOT work trucks with lights. Both mobile and static work zones are required to notify drivers that they are in a work zone and that fines are doubled.
Click here to read the full text of HB1596.
Green Lights on ARDOT vehicles
HB1475, now Act 209 of 2025, authorizes the use of green lights on official roadway construction and maintenance vehicles used by ARDOT, cities, counties, or contractors. This came after a successful pilot program.
Flashing green lights improve visibility on bright, sunny days, in fog, and during inclement weather, making road workers safer.
Arkansas law specifies which types of vehicles may have flashing lights or rotating beacons and what colors are permissible. This new law permits roadway construction and maintenance vehicles to use amber, white, or green (or any combination of the three) oscillating, flashing, or rotating emergency or warning lights.
Click here to read the full text of HB1475.
Work Zone Safety in the Arkansas Driver’s Manual
Senate Bill (SB) 78, now Act 117 of 2025, amends the Arkansas driver’s manual and test to include information about driving safely through work zones.
The safe operation of a motor vehicle in a highway work zone is now required to be included in the written driver’s license test.
Additionally, the driver’s instruction manual will be amended to include information about highway work zone safety. Thisinformation will include:
Click here to read the full text of SB78.
To learn more about these new laws and others, visit arkleg.state.ar.us.
