Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has just signed a bill that will make using your phone while driving, illegal.
The new distracted driving legislation was signed into law on June 5 making it illegal to hold, talk, text, play games, use social media, etc, while driving.
Although the law has been signed, it will take 12 months for it to go into effect, and another 12 months to allow officers to write actual citations.
Senate Bill 37 also known as Paul Miller’s Law, makes makes Pennsylvania the 29thstate in the nation to ban distracted driving.
Exceptions to the rule include dialing 911, and using your phone hands-free or via Bluetooth for GPS directions or to listen to music.
If you are stopped for using your phone while driving until June 2025, you will only receive a warning. Citations will start to be written in June 2026.
“I have met too many people with injuries they’ll live with for the rest of their lives because they were hit by a distracted driver – and too many families that have an empty seat at the dinner table because of distracted driving,” saidGovernor Josh Shapiro.
“This commonsense, bipartisan legislation – passed and signed into law in honor of Paul Miller’s legacy – empowers our state and local police to stop distracted driving and make our roads and communities safer. This law also increases transparency and ensures accountability at traffic stops while providing crucial public safety data to keep our roads safe. This is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together — Senators and Representatives from both parties came together to pass commonsense legislation that will save lives across Pennsylvania.”
The Paul Miller Law honors the late Paul Miller Jr. who died in a motor vehicle accident with a tractor-trailer driver who reached for their phone while driving in 2010 in Monroe County, PA.
Since Paul’s death, Paul’s mother, Eileen Miller has become a national advocate for stronger laws against distracted driving.
“When Paul passed away unfortunately, two Dunmore state troopers came knocking on my door to tell me that my son was killed, I did not know it was distracted driving at the time,” saidEileen Miller, Paul Miller Jr.’s mother.
“My son did everything right – and somebody else was the one who was the cause of my son’s demise. I whispered in the ear of my son at the morgue – who I couldn’t even identify, I didn’t even know that it was him, he was that bad – but I whispered in his ear that when I found out what had caused that crash, I would fight for change. We later found out that it was distracted driving. I held that honor to him – and today is Paul Miller’s law. I’ve gotten it done, Paul, I did it. This is for every family that is in Pennsylvania that doesn’t have to have two state troopers knocking on their door to tell them that their loved one was killed by something so preventable as distracted driving.”
Along with fighting distracted drivers, Paul Miller’s Law will work to prevent bias in policing by requiring law enforcement to collect data on drivers pulled over during traffic stops, including race, ethnicity, and gender. This data will be made publicly available in an annual report.
“Limiting distractions while behind the wheel makes Pennsylvania’s roadways safer for everyone,” saidColonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police.
“Eliminating the handling of cell phones while driving will certainly reduce the number of crashes and save lives.”
In a 2023 statistic from PennDOT, distracted driving was the leading cause of car crashes in Pennsylvania, followed by traffic deaths rising by 2.25% since 2022.
The report showed that there were more than 11,262 distracted driving crashes in 2023, alone.
“In 2023, there were over 11 thousand crashes in Pennsylvania that involved a distracted driver,” saidPennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll.
“Driving requires 100% of your attention 100% of the time, and this bill – which I was proud to support as Minority Chair of the House Transportation Committee – is an important step forward in discouraging distracted driving and keeping everyone safe on the road. Congratulations to Senator Brown for her tireless efforts in support of this bill, and thanks to Eileen Miller for her years-long advocacy for this cause.”
“After more than a decade of dedicated work to enact this legislation, the passage of Senate Bill 37 marks a monumental victory for Pennsylvania,” saidSenator Rosemary Brown. “
“This law is a shining example of responsible legislation that will both improve public safety and enhance transparency. I cannot stress enough the importance of that both and clause,” saidRepresentative Napoleon Nelson.
According to AAA, if you are stopped for distracted driving and receive a citation, you will receive a $100 fine, with no points on your record.
