Arizona Department of Transportation

Wrong-way sign installed by ADOT.

In an effort to help police officers zero in on wrong-way drivers, the Arizona Department of Transportation says it’s expanding the use of thermal cameras.

ADOT spokesperson Doug Nintzel says they are not going to be considered a prevention measure but will help in other ways. 

“Those alerts give law enforcement faster response times. It allows us to quickly put the warning messages on our electronic signs of course in the areas where we do have thermal cameras right now," Ninztel said. 

Nintzel added the wrong way detection systems on Interstate 17 between the Interstate 10 stack and Loop 101 interchange have detected 250 wrong way drivers since being implemented in 2018.

There is no timeline for when the expansion will be put in place.