Eileen Miller looked back to the night 16 years ago when a distracted semi-truck driver crashed into her son on the highway, ending his life. Now the “Paul Miller Law,” which is named after him and went into effect last week, means that drivers who don’t put down their devices while driving will face a $50 fine. But law enforcement officers at a news conference Wednesday, which included Scranton Police Chief Tom Carroll and state police Trooper Bob Urban, said the new law wasn’t about citations or fines, but rather about keeping the public safe. State Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll said texting and driving has always been dangerous and now it is also illegal. Both Urban and Carroll said enforcement of the new law has begun but didn’t have specific numbers. Both believe enforcement of the new law will send the message of how important it is to put hand-held devices down while driving. “We will continue working with the Miller family and law enforcement to improve safety on our more than 4,000 miles of state roads in the northeast,” PennDOT District Executive Jonathan Eboli said.
Traffic Safety Advocate Eileen Miller is emotional after talking about her son Paul Miller Jr., who was killer by a distrracted motorist, during a press conference reinforcing the importance of Paul Miller’s Law in the Scranton Police Department in Scranton Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
A framed photograph of Paull Miller Jr., who was killed by a distracted motorist, is placed at the bottom of the podium during a press conference at the Scranton Police Department Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Trooper First Class and Pennsylvania State Police Troop R Community Services Officer Robert Urban discusses Paul Miller’s Law during a press conference at the Scranton Police Department Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll, center, speaks about Paul Miller’s Law in the lobby of the Scranton Police Department in Scranton Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Standing with Carroll are, from left, District Executive for PennDOT Engineering District 4 Jonathan A. Eboli, Chief of Police for the Scranton Police Department Thomas Carroll, National Traffic Safety Advocate & mother to Paul Miller Jr. Eileen Miller, and Trooper First Class and Pennsylvania State Police Troop R Community Services Officer Robert Urban. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Traffic Safety Advocate Eileen Miller is emotional after talking about her son Paul Miller Jr., who was killer by a distrracted motorist, during a press conference reinforcing the importance of Paul Miller’s Law in the Scranton Police Department in Scranton Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)