Starting next month, Pennsylvania drivers need to put down their cellphone and most electronic devices  while driving or risk a $50 ticket.  

Pennsylvania law has barred drivers from reading, writing or sending text messages while driving since 2012, but other handheld cell phone uses were permitted; a new law that takes effect June 5 expands the ban to all handheld device use while driving.

Here is what you need to know in anticipation of the implementation of Paul Miller’s Law in Pennsylvania.

How does Paul Miller’s Law work to curb distracted driving in PA?

Paul Miller's Law defines an interactive mobile device as basically any electronic handheld device that can be used for things such as voice communication, texting, surfing the internet, playing games, taking photos, or sharing social media that can be operated using at least one hand or "supporting body part" or requires pressing more than a single button.

What about if I am stopped at a red light, can I check my phone? 

Nope. The Pennsylvania law defines driving as operating a motor vehicle on a highway, including anytime the vehicle is temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device or other momentary delay such as a traffic backup. 

What are the penalties under Paul Miller’s Law?

• For the first 12 months, the penalty is a written warning. 
• Starting June 5, 2026, the penalty is a summary offense with a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees.
• The law does not authorize the seizure of an interactive wireless device.
• The violation carries no points against your license, and it is not recorded on the driver’s record for noncommercial drivers. It will be recorded on a commercial driver’s record as a non-sanction violation.
• If a driver is convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted, he or she may be sentenced up to an additional five years in prison.

When can I use a mobile device in the car in Pennsylvania after June 5, 2025? 

•  A driver may use an interactive mobile device if the driver moves the vehicle to the side of or off a highway and halts in a location where the vehicle can safely remain stationary
• The hands-free law allows for an emergency use exception if it is necessary to communicate with a law enforcement official or other emergency service to prevent injury to persons or property. 
• The texting ban does NOT include the use of a GPS device or a system or device that is physically or electronically integrated into the vehicle, or a communications device that is affixed to a mass transit vehicle, bus or school bus.

What happened to Paul Miller?

Paul Miller Jr., 21,  was killed in a head-on motor vehicle accident with a tractor-trailer in 2010 in Monroe County as the result of a distracted driver who reached for a phone while driving. He was a junior at East Stroudsburg University, where he was majoring in sociology. His parents say he planned to pursue a career in law enforcement or criminal justice.

After his death, his mother, Eileen Miller, became a national advocate for stronger laws to curb distracted driving. In 2024, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the law prohibiting the use of hand-held devices while driving, making Pennsylvania the 29th state to ban distracted driving. 

What else will Paul Miller’s Law do?

It requires law enforcement to collect data on drivers pulled over during traffic stops, including race, ethnicity, and gender. The data will be made publicly available in an annual report.  The amendment was added to prevent bias in policing, according to the Shapiro administration. 

Is distracted driving a problem in Pennsylvania?

It was the leading cause of car crashes in Pennsylvania in 2023, according to PennDOT. Traffic deaths in the state attributed to distracted driving rose from 1,179 to 1,209 or 2.25% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to the transportation agency. There were more than 11,262 distracted driving crashes in 2023, compared to 8,330 alcohol-related crashes, according to PennDOT.

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com