(WHTM) — Police in Pennsylvania will start issuing fines on Friday to drivers stopped for holding a cellphone.
The state banned hand-held devices while behind the wheel last year through Paul Miller’s Law, which made using a cellphone in a vehicle a primary offense, meaning police can stop someone solely for the violation. Miller was killed in 2010 when a distracted driver crossed a center grass divider and collided head-on with his car.
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For the first 12 months, the penalty was a written warning. Now, violators will get hit with a $50 fine plus court costs and other fees.
The law also allows for drivers convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted to be sentenced up to an additional five years in prison.
Pennsylvania House passes school cellphone ban
Drivers will be generally prohibited from using phones in vehicles, including when stopped at a red light. However, they may pull over to the side of or off a highway and stop the vehicle to use their phone. There is also an exception to communicate with law enforcement or other emergency services to prevent injury.
The ban does not include a GPS device, a device integrated into the vehicle or a communications device affixed to a mass transit vehicle or bus.
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