New Law For All PA Drivers Starts Next Month, Violators To Face Fines

HARRSIBURG, PA — A new law restricting distracted driving will go into effect in Pennsylvania on June 5.

The new Paul Miller's Law bans drivers from holding their phone or any other mobile device while driving. That means it's a illegal to write or read a text message, browse the Internet, take a photo, or do anything else with your phone while behind the wheel.

The law is named for a man killed in Monroe County in 2010 by a driver of a tractor trailer who reached for a phone.

"My son did everything right – and somebody else was the one who was the cause of my son's demise," Eileen Miller, the mother of Paul Miller Jr., said in a statement when the bill was first signed into a law a year ago. "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."

For the first 12 months of the law being in effect, the penalty will simply be a written warning.

Starting June 5, 2026, it will incur a $50 fine, in addition to court costs and other fees.

The law also includes a provision for drivers convicted of homicide by vehicle. If a driver is on their phone or distracted during a fatal crash, they may face an additional five years behind bars.

The law remains in effect even when a vehicle is "temporarily stationary" because of heavy traffic, a traffic light, or a stop sign.

If the phone is in the driver's hand at all, they can be stopped by police. Using the phone is defined as holding it in at least one hand or a "supporting body part."

Drivers who need to use their phone should pull over to the side of the road where they are out of traffic, and put their vehicle in park.

History of the law

Advocates have been pushing for stricter restrictions on cell phone usage in Pennsylvania for years.

All states ban texting while driving, including Pennsylvania, while 41 states have laws that allow police to stop drivers for texting without any other violation. Pennsylvania now joins the 24 states — along with the District of Columbia — that prohibit all device usage while driving.

The bill passed through the state House and Senate with bipartisan support.

Officials believe it will save lives.

“Limiting distractions while behind the wheel makes Pennsylvania’s roadways safer for everyone,” Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police, said in a statement. “Eliminating the handling of cell phones while driving will certainly reduce the number of crashes and save lives.”

Distracted driving was the top cause of vehicle crashes in the state in 2023, and traffic deaths have continued to rise, increasing by 2.25 percent from 2022 into 2023, according to PennDOT data.

A total of 1,209 victims were killed in crashes in 2023. Distracted driving crashes outstrip even alcohol-related crashes in the state, by a tally of 11,262 to 8,330, the state says.

Primary sponsor of the law, State Sen. Rosemary Brown, said that the process to get the bill passed into law has taken more than a decade.

"I am filled with gratitude for those who helped me along this process, and I know this measure will protect drivers, prevent crashes, and save lives," Brown said. "This bill is more than legislation – it is a reminder of the power of perseverance and the impact we can have when we prioritize public safety."

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