Safety Programs

Last Year: 648 crash deaths occurred on Arkansas roads.*

Year To Date Down 12.5%: This Year 06/01/22 - 217 | Last Year 06/01/21 - 248**

The Arkansas Highway Safety Office coordinates an ongoing statewide behavioral highway safety program making effective use of federal and state highway safety funds and other resources to save lives and reduce injuries on the state’s roads, and provide leadership, innovation and program support in partnership with traffic safety advocates, professionals, organizations and our single largest safety partnership, the motoring public. Featured Programs addressing high fatalities on Arkansas roadways are Impaired Driving and Occupant Protection.**

ACT NOW! Working Together Toward Zero Deaths on Arkansas Roadways:

Move Over Law | Grants FAQs | Campaigns & Mobilizations | Traffic Safety Education

HSO TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAMS MENU: FY 2022 Mobilizations | Impaired Driving | Occupant Protection | Speed Enforcement | Traffic Safety | Motorcycle Safety | Ped/Bike Safety | Teen Driver Safety | Rail & Highway Safety | Move Over Law | Work Zone Safety | S.A.F.E. Driver Pledge | The TZD Blog | STEP Grants | Grants FAQs | Saved By The Belt Stories | Traffic Safety Education | High Five Project | Learn The Law


IMPAIRED DRIVING

Impaired driving is a choice.

Drivers can choose to drive sober, get plenty of rest and pay attention.

Impaired drivers risk injuring or killing themselves and their passengers. They also expose everyone on the road to unnecessary risks. The best defense against impaired drivers is wearing a seat belt. One of AHSO's newest social norming message is 'Four Ds of Impaired Driving!'

Impairment is a diminished ability to drive, which can be caused by

  • Drinking and Driving,
  • Distracted Driving,
  • Drugged Driving, &
  • Drowsy Driving.

The four “Ds” of Impaired Driving can be—one more word that starts with a D, deadly. Statistics show in 2019 an average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occured every 52 Minutes.* Distracted driving fatalities are increasing annually. While NHTSA and other researchers are studying the best ways to get identifiable and conclusive data on drugged and drowsy driving, both are responsible for thousands of lives lost each year on our nation’s roads. Click here for more on Impaired Driving.

[TOP]


OCCUPANT PROTECTION

Seat Belts Save Lives

90.4% Seat Belt Use Rate In 2021

14955 Lives Saved By Seat Belts In 2017

2549 additional lives could have been saved in 2017 if everyone had buckled up

Source: Seat Belt Safety | NHTSA

One of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up. Many Americans understand the lifesaving value of the seat belt – the national use rate was at 90.4% in 2021. Seat belt use in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 14,955 lives in 2017. Understand the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt and learn what you can do to make sure you and your family are properly buckled up every time. New Social Norming message ''Saved By The Belt' story section encourages the Arkansas Driving Public to buckle up for their loved ones with stories of the ones who did. Read more about Saved By The Belt | Go here for more on Occupant Protection | Saved By The Belt Stories | New Social Norming 'Click For Love'

MAKE THE LIFE SAVING CHOICE--BUCKLE UP ARKANSAS!

[TOP]


OTHER PROGRAMS & PROJECTS

HIGH FIVE PROJECT ARKANSAS

Q: What is the High Five Rural Traffic Safety Project?

A: A data-driven, multi-agency effort to increase seat belt use and reduce serious injury and fatal crashes on rural roads in Arkansas through education, engineering and enforcement.

Q: Where in Arkansas will the program be focused?

A: In five rural counties that ARDOT crash data show have high fatal and severe injury rates.

To find out more about the High Five Project Arkansas, click here.


WORK ZONE SAFETY

In Fall 2021, ARDOT began development of a statewide work zone safety campaign. On February 2, 2022, ARDOT and industry stakeholders, together with Arkansas State Police and Arkansas Highway Police, will roll out this campaign that includes a statewide increased enforcement of reckless and distracted driving laws in work zones. The Move Over Law driver laws in Arkansas drivers are required to move over one lane away from emergency vehicles on the side of the road. If you can't move over, slow down.

“We are urging Arkansans to do their part: slow down in work zones, stay off the phone, and pay attention,” said ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor. “It’s going to take all of us working together to reverse this concerning trend.”

More About Work Zone Safety


MOVE OVER LAW

Move Over Law Effective In Arkansas Since August 16, 2013*

The side of the road is a very dangerous place to be with traffic flying by, but this is exactly where thousands of law enforcement officers, firefighters, rescue personnel, ARDOT workers, and other personnel do their jobs every day. Many of these individuals have been injured and killed from being struck by passing vehicles. As a result, the Arkansas General Assembly passed legislation in 2013 requiring motorists to move over a lane or slow down to a cautionary speed when approaching stationary vehicles on the road or side of the road that are displaying flashing, blinking or alternating blue, red or amber lights

A new law requiring Arkansas drivers to “move over” for more than just police, fire trucks, and ambulances goes into effect Friday (Aug. 16, 2013), according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department officials.

The law requires drivers to move over not only for emergency vehicles, but vehicles owned by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department and its contractors. It also includes utility vehicles, tow trucks, or authorized vehicles displaying, blue, red, amber, white, or green lights that are flashing, revolving or rotating. Click Here To Read More About Move Over Law.


Learn the Law and Be Safe!

Arkansas State Police wants you to know the laws! The AHSO & ASP team together and present a monthly feature from the popular ‘Learn The Law’ Facebook Series. Each quarterly issue we will post an Arkansas Learn The Law, that ASP has explained in detail. We will spotlight it for you on Learn The Law Series as a monthly feature in the SafARoads Blog and quarterly Newsletter. Read More about the Learn The Law Series.


SPEED ENFORCEMENT

Speeding puts everyone on the road at risk.

In 2019, speeding killed 9,478 (26% of all traffic fatalities).

We all know the frustrations of modern life and juggling a busy schedule, but speed limits are put in place to protect all road users. Learn about the dangers of speeding and why faster doesn’t always mean safer.

Newest Speed Enforcement Development: Troopers Use Low Profile Tahoes to Address Speeding Surge

Find out more about Speed Enforcement, click here.


TRAFFIC RECORDS

What 's New In Traffic Records -- The Cindy Grisham Corner

Click here for more Cindy Grisham Corner, Traffic Records, FARS Supervisor

[TOP]

RAIL/HIGHWAY SAFETY

Four ways to be safe on and around railways:

  • Never try to beat a train at a crossing or snake around the lowered crossing gates.
  • Assume that there is a train on every track at all times, even tracks that are rarely used.
  • If there is a stop sign at the crossing, stop! If there is a yield sign or electronic signals, slow and make sure that no trains are approaching.
  • Never cross a railroad track unless you are sure there is room on the other side for your vehicle to completely clear the tracks. Many collisions occur when a vehicle's rear end is still hanging out over the tracks.

Learn more about Rail/Highway Safety by Arkansas State Police

[TOP]


MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

Safe Driving is a choice. Ride For Love. Be the Hero for Your Family!

Photos submitted by Safety Partner Jason Bennett

AHSO partners with Alliance in 2021 to reach larger measures of the targeted audience of Motorcyclists in Arkansas: AHSO SHARE THE ROAD Campaign Tours Motorcycle Rallies Across the State.. Learn more about Motorcycle Safety here.

[TOP]


PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE SAFETY

New Ped/Bike Information And Ads in Arkansas Travel Guides including Share The Road Campaign

What is Share The Road?

The goal of the Share the Road campaign is to provide travelers with information on laws, policies, maps, and resources to commute safely on Arkansas’ roadways, whether by walking, driving, or biking. Trending data shows an increase in pedestrian fatalities, and one is one too many. Help us create a safer environment by doing your part! GO with Care—Get There! To learn more about: Ped/Bike Safety | Share The Road Campaign

[TOP]


TEEN DRIVER SAFETY

Safety Partners Arkansas Childrens Hospital, ADMV, Arkansas Highway Safety Office and State Farm Insurance ready to launch social norming campaign "Safer Teen Driving" messaging on all the DMV monitors across the state of Arkansas in the DMV offices!

Learn more about projects, programs and campaigns for Safer Teen Driving.

[TOP]


Why Join Us! Take the S.A.F.E. Driver Pledge

All lives are valuable. At the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office, we honor the lives lost on our roadways by seeking to provide more and more evidence based solutions to the multi-layered problems of fatal traffic crashes. When you take the S.A.F.E. Driver Pledge you are essentially taking personal responsibility for your safe driving choices and informing others that “Safe Driving is a choice.” In this way, we all share in responsibility to the motoring public to seek safer Arkansas roadways. Find out more, here.

[TOP]

*Preliminary Data - Fatalities

**Historical Crash Data In Arkansas per DPS Dashboard https://www.dps.arkansas.gov/dashboard/


Drive Safe, Arkansas!

Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office