READING, Pa. – Drivers across Pennsylvania are preparing for a new distracted driving law that takes effect Friday.
Pedro Moya says it’s a change he supports.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea — driving and texting,” Moya said.
As a father, he says distracted driving is something he talks about with his own children.
“I’ve been always telling them: ‘Never texting while you’re driving. Always pay attention on the road,”’ he said.
It’s one reason state officials gathered Tuesday afternoon in Lebanon County. They reminded drivers that beginning Friday, Pennsylvania’s new Paul Miller’s Law takes effect.
The law is named after Paul Miller, a young man killed by a distracted driver in 2010. His mother, Eileen, has spent years fighting for change.
“My life was shattered in a second,” Eileen Miller said. “It took one second for somebody to take their eyes off the road, and my son was killed.”
As a penalty, drivers can be fined for holding a cellphone while driving. That includes while stopped at a red light.
“The law does allow for use of hands-free technology, but drivers cannot hold, support or manually operate a phone or other interactive mobile devices while driving,” said Pennsylvania State Police Major Thomas Hertlein.
A conviction carries a $50 fine, plus court costs and fees. And if distracted driving leads to a deadly crash, additional prison time could be added to a sentence.
“Last year, 54 people were killed in crashes involving distracted driving,” Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll said. “That’s 54 people who died in crashes that could have and should have been prevented.”
For Moya, Miller’s story is a reminder that distracted driving affects real families.
“It is a really sad story because this lady lost her son many years ago,” Moya said. “I think it’s a great thing they’re doing on implementing this law so everybody should be focusing on driving.”