I think it goes without saying that texting while driving is a danger to yourself and others on the road. But many drivers use their phone as a GPS nowadays, so some drivers without a device to hold their phones within eyesight while driving, tend to hold their phone in their hand or put it on their laps to see what exit they need to take or street they need to turn on, which causes them to be distracted. Some drivers also like to look at their phone while stopped at a light or stop sign. Moving forward, this could get you a traffic violation in the state of Pennsylvania with the new Paul Miller’s Law going into effect recently.
Paul Miller’s Law recently went into effect on Thursday June 5th,2025. The law was made after the passing of Paul Miller Jr. back in 2010. The new law makes it illegal to use a handheld cellphone while driving a motor vehicle. The new law does not just stop you from using your phone while driving, but it also prohibits you from using your phone while at a red light, stop sign, or a temporary stop due to traffic. Pennsylvania already had a texting while driving ban that did not allow for drivers to read, send, or write text-based communication while driving. Officers will begin by issuing written warnings to drivers on June 5th.
This new law does not stop drivers from making phone calls, using their phones as a GPS or to listen to music, as long as it is hands free. Pennsylvania is making a strong effort to make sure that drivers are not being distracted. Starting on June 6, 2026, Pennsylvania officers will begin handing out $50 fines to anyone who violates this law. Until then, you will only receive a written warning if you violate this law. If a driver is distracted and is deemed to be breaking Paul Miller’s Law, while causing a fatal accident it may result in an additional five years added to their sentence.
An added benefit to this law being passed is that the officers will have to take data on the drivers that are being pulled over. The officers are required by law to record race, ethnicity, and gender in hopes to lower police discrimination rates across the state.
According to PennDOT data from 2024, there were close to 10,000 crashes that involved a distracted driver, resulting in more than 6,000 injuries and 49 fatalities. These numbers may not be accurate because they are likely to be underreported due to the drivers not wanting to admit that they were distracted. I’ll leave you off with some things that you can do to help keep yourself and other travelers safe, as well as keeping yourself from racking up tickets under the new law. If you really need to text someone, pull over and park your car in a safe area. Ask your passengers to send text messages for you or to read a message out loud. Do not engage in social media scrolling while behind the wheel. If all else fails, try putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” and throwing it on the seat next to you.
If you need assistance with a traffic ticket or any other traffic violation, please contact us on 610-850-9036, or reach out to us online via our website.