- For the first 12 months, drivers will be issued a warning, but next year, they’ll get a fine.
- Paul Miller’s law is named after a young driver who was killed by a distracted driver.
- The state says there are more than 11,200 crashes caused by distracted driving.
If you’re driving in Pennsylvania starting June 5, you’d better leave your phone alone while behind the wheel, or the police will be on you faster than you can say, “I didn’t touch my phone, officer!” A new law, called Paul Miller’s Law, bans the use of hand-held devices not just while driving, but even when stopped on the road, as local authorities aim to crack down on distracted driving.
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The new law prohibits drivers from using what’s referred to as an ‘interactive mobile device’ while behind the wheel. This includes any smartphone, personal digital assistant, mobile computer, or similar device that can be used for communication, browsing the internet, playing games, or broadcasting videos. It doesn’t matter if you’re sitting in traffic, cruising down a highway, or resting at a traffic light or stop sign; it’ll soon be illegal to use one of these devices.
Read: Germany To Catch Distracted Drivers Holding Smartphones With Special Cameras
For the first twelve months, drivers nabbed interacting with a device will receive a written warning, but from June 5, 2026, they’ll receive a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees. Importantly, the law does not apply to a vehicle’s built-in GPS or infotainment system.
If you desperately need to send a text or make a call while driving, you’ll only be allowed to do so if you pull to the side of or off a road and find somewhere safe to park. The law also permits the use of a mobile device if it’s being used for an emergency, like communication with a law enforcement official or another emergency service.
The law was introduced after years of campaigning by the mother of Paul Miller, Eileen. In 2010, Paul was killed when the Toyota Corolla he was driving was hit by the driver of a tractor-trailer who was reaching for a phone. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, distracted driving was cited in more than 11,200 crashes.
As part of the new law, any driver who is convicted of homicide by vehicle can receive an additional five years in prison if they were found to be driving while distracted.
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