A new phase of Pennsylvania’s distracted driving law begins Friday, allowing police to issue citations to drivers caught holding a cellphone behind the wheel.
While Paul Miller’s law officially took effect in 2025, the past year served as a warning period. Drivers who violated the law could only receive written warnings.
Beginning June 5, officers can now issue tickets carrying a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees.
“Hands off the phone, it’s the law” signs have been posted along highways across Pennsylvania as officials remind motorists about the change.
The law prohibits drivers from holding or using a cellphone or other interactive mobile device while operating a vehicle.
The State of Pennsylvania will begin enforcing a law on Friday in an effort to reduce distracted driving and the use of handheld devices on the roadway. Leslie Huff has the details on that law and what drivers need to be aware of.
Drivers who need to use their phones are encouraged to pull over to a safe location off the roadway first.
Paul Miller’s law is named after Paul Miller Jr., a 21-year-old who was killed by a distracted truck driver in 2010.
Police say the law is intended to reduce crashes caused by distracted driving and encourage drivers to keep their attention on the road.
“You shouldn’t be on your cell phone at all while you’re driving. It’s just a distraction,” Mercer Police Chief, Robert Davis said.
The change is especially important for drivers traveling between Ohio and Pennsylvania, where distracted driving laws differ in some ways.
According to the Ohio Revised Code section 4511.204 drivers in the state are still allowed to hold a phone to their ear during a call, as long as they are not texting or using the device for other handheld functions.
In Pennsylvania, the rule is stricter. If a phone is in a driver’s hand while driving, it is a violation.
The penalties also differ. In Ohio, fines increase for repeat offenders, while Pennsylvania’s law carries the same $50 fine for each violation.