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If you drive around Pittsburgh,\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0going to want to put your phone down while driving.\u00a0Paul Miller\u2019s Law<\/a>\u00a0is now being enforced across Pennsylvania, changing what drivers can and cannot do with a phone behind the wheel.<\/p>\n After a one-year warning period, police can now issue citations to drivers who are holding or supporting a phone or other device while driving, even when a vehicle is stopped in traffic or at a red light,\u00a0according to\u00a0USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n The law is named for Paul Miller Jr., a 21-year-old from Scranton who was killed when a truck driver reached for his phone and crashed into him.\u00a0Lawmakers say the hands-free rule is aimed squarely at reducing crashes caused by distracted driving.<\/p>\n More: Tick bites are on the rise. How common is Lyme disease in Pittsburgh?<\/a><\/p>\n More: Tick season is here. Why your backyard may be at risk<\/a><\/p>\n More: Moms of Pittsburgh Public Schools speak out against school closures<\/a><\/p>\n Under the statute, drivers are prohibited from holding or supporting an \u201cinteractive mobile device\u201d while\u00a0operating\u00a0a vehicle, which includes smartphones and other handheld electronics used for calls, texting, social media,\u00a0navigation\u00a0and apps. The restriction applies even when a car is stopped at a red light or in gridlocked traffic, but drivers can still use hands-free and voice-activated systems such as Bluetooth or in-vehicle controls.<\/p>\n For the first year after the law took effect, officers issued only written warnings, but that grace period has ended. Police can now stop a driver solely for having a phone in hand and issue a citation carrying a $50 base fine, which can rise to a few hundred dollars once court fees and other costs are added.<\/p>\n Local safety\u00a0officials said\u00a0the change is particularly significant in Pittsburgh, where city\u00a0crash data<\/a>\u00a0show more than 3,300 crashes in 2025, including 380 involving distracted drivers and one fatal distracted-driving crash. Statewide, Pennsylvania recorded\u00a0nearly 10,000\u00a0distracted-driving crashes and 49 deaths in 2024.<\/p>\n One of the easiest ways\u00a0drivers can\u00a0stay within the law is to treat\u00a0their\u00a0center console like a \u201cno-phone zone\u201d and keep any device mounted or out of\u00a0their\u00a0hands until\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0parked, according to safety experts. That still gives\u00a0drivers\u00a0access to navigation and calls through buttons on the wheel or dash without the split-second reach that can lead to a crash.<\/p>\n