May 22, 2026, 5:03 a.m. MT
- Dozens of drivers were cited for using phones near a fatal crash site in Tucson.
- Authorities noted that phone usage at crash scenes causes traffic slowdowns and increases collision risks.
- Arizona law prohibits using a phone while driving.
Dozens of citations were issued for distracted driving near a fatal commercial vehicle crash in Tucson, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Sixty-seven drivers were cited along Interstate 10 during the investigation of the crash on May 13, which caused significant traffic slowdowns as individuals recorded the scene, the department reported via social media.
The impromptu enforcement effort was initiated due to the high number of violations observed by troopers, said DPS spokesperson Sgt. Kameron Lee.
Lee emphasized that phone usage near crash sites causes two primary issues: traffic obstruction and the potential for further accidents.
According to Lee, filming or photographing a fatal crash is inappropriate behavior.
DPS has been actively promoting its “Arrive Alive Arizona” campaign, which includes heightened enforcement in problematic areas. On the same day as the Tucson crash, DPS coordinated with local police for a 10-mile enforcement operation on I-10, stopping 342 drivers between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with 37 cited for distracted driving.
On May 19, additional enforcement occurred on I-10, resulting in 197 drivers being stopped.
Arizona law strictly prohibits holding or manipulating a phone while driving. While stopped at a red light, drivers may hold their phones but must set them aside when the vehicle is in motion. Hands-free operations remain permissible.
The legislation, enacted in 2021, includes an enforcement period where warnings were issued; this has since transitioned to active citations.