HARRISBURG, Pa — A Pennsylvania law targeting distracted driving will shift from warnings to fines next month, marking a significant enforcement milestone in an effort to reduce crashes caused by handheld device use.
Beginning June 6, drivers who use a handheld cellphone or other interactive mobile device while operating a motor vehicle will face a summary offense under what is commonly known as Paul Miller’s Law. The violation carries a $50 fine, in addition to court costs and other fees.
The law, which took effect June 5, 2025, initially allowed for a one-year grace period during which violators were issued written warnings. That period ends this week, transitioning the law into full enforcement.
Paul Miller’s Law makes it a primary offense for drivers to hold or otherwise use an interactive mobile device while driving. That designation allows law enforcement officers to stop a driver solely for the violation.
The statute broadly defines an interactive mobile device as a handheld wireless telephone, smartphone, personal digital assistant, portable computer or similar device capable of voice communication, texting, emailing, internet browsing, gaming, recording or sharing images and video, or social media use.
“Driving,” under the law, includes not only when a vehicle is in motion but also when it is temporarily stopped in traffic, at a red light or stop sign, or during any momentary delay.
The law defines use as holding a device with at least one hand, supporting it with another part of the body, dialing or answering by pressing more than a single button, or reaching for a device in a way that requires a driver to move out of a seated, seatbelt-restrained position.
Drivers are permitted to use hands-free technology, including Bluetooth, speaker systems or dashboard-mounted devices. Use is also allowed in emergencies when contacting law enforcement or other emergency services. Additionally, drivers may use a device after pulling safely to the side of the road and stopping in a location where the vehicle can remain stationary.
The measure strengthens Pennsylvania’s existing texting-while-driving ban, which already prohibits sending, reading or writing text-based communications while a vehicle is in motion. That violation also carries a $50 fine plus fees, does not add points to a noncommercial driver’s record and is recorded for commercial drivers as a non-sanction violation.
The texting ban exempts GPS devices and systems integrated into a vehicle, as well as certain communications equipment used in buses or mass transit vehicles.
State officials say the law addresses a persistent safety issue. According to PennDOT, distracted driving contributed to more than 11,000 crashes in 2023, resulting in 65 deaths and approximately 6,700 injuries. Pennsylvania now joins 28 other states with hands-free driving laws.
The law is named for Paul J. Miller Jr., a Scranton native who was killed in 2010 in Monroe County when a distracted tractor-trailer driver crossed a grass median on Route 33 and struck Miller’s vehicle head-on.
Miller, a 2006 graduate of Scranton High School and a 2008 graduate of Lackawanna College, was a senior at East Stroudsburg University at the time of his death, studying sociology with a focus on criminal justice. He had planned to begin an internship with the Lackawanna County Juvenile Probation Office and hoped to work with at-risk youth.
Family members describe Miller as compassionate and optimistic, known for quietly helping others. His mother, Eileen Woelkers Miller, later learned he regularly bought lunch for a man experiencing homelessness and spent time with him during work breaks.
An accomplished athlete, Miller played baseball at multiple levels, earning all-star and scholastic honors, and was an avid sports fan.
Following his death, his mother became a leading advocate against distracted driving, working at local and state levels to push for stronger laws. The family also established a memorial scholarship at Lackawanna College in his name.
The enhanced penalties under Paul Miller’s Law include an additional provision for severe cases. Drivers convicted of homicide by vehicle while also found to be driving distracted may face up to five additional years in prison.
Officials emphasize that while cellphones are a major concern, they are not the only source of distraction. Other common distractions include eating or drinking, adjusting in-car controls, interacting with passengers, grooming, searching for items and looking at roadside activity.
As enforcement ramps up, transportation officials are urging drivers to adopt hands-free habits and eliminate distractions entirely while behind the wheel.
