An Arizona Department of Transportation (AZDPS) trooper took enforcement action against a truck driver for distracted driving in the Flagstaff area.
On September 2, 2026, an AZDPS trooper traveling on I-40 saw a semi truck “cross over the solid white line, through the rumble strip, and into the emergency lane not once but twice.”
The trooper pulled up alongside the semi truck to see what was going on with the driver.
Officials said that that truck driver pulled his sleep curtain across the door to hide the phone in his hands.
AZDPS
After a traffic stop was initiated, the truck driver told the trooper that he was “listening to a church service and only looking at the screen sometimes.”
The trooper issued a citation to the truck driver.
“Listen all you like, hands-free. Even a “quick glance” at your phone can lead to a quick trip into danger. Keep your eyes up, your hands on the wheel, and take care of each other out there,” the AZDPS Highway Patrol said.
Arizona is a hands-free driving state, meaning that it is illegal to:
- Hold or support a device with your body
- This includes, but is not limited to, in your hands and perched on your shoulder
- Read, write or send a message via any portable wireless communication device
- Scroll through social media, watch videos, record videos, or any other use of the device that causes a distraction and requires use of your body
