Gov. Shapiro signs law prohibiting use of handheld devices while driving

Using cellphones and other handheld devices while driving will no longer be allowed on Pennsylvania roads.

On Wednesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Paul Miller’s Law, which prohibits the use of handheld devices while driving.

The law passed in May with bipartisan support and it makes Pennsylvania the 29th state in the U.S. to ban the use of cellphones and other handheld devices while driving.

“I have met too many people with injuries they’ll live with for the rest of their lives because they were hit by a distracted driver – and too many families that have an empty seat at the dinner table because of distracted driving,” Shapiro said in a news release.

It takes effect in one year, on June 5, 2025. During the first year police will issue warnings, but after that, the offense will result in a $50 fine.

Drivers will still be allowed to use their phones if they are using hands-free technology.

The law was named after Paul Miller Jr., a Monroe County man who was killed in a motor vehicle crash with a tractor-trailer in 2010 as the result of a distracted driver who reached for their phone while driving, according to a release.

Since his death, his mother Eileen Miller has become a national advocate for stronger laws to curb distracted driving. She lauded the signing and passing of the law.

“My son did everything right – and somebody else was the one who was the cause of my son’s demise,” she said in a statement.

The ban applies to drivers sitting in traffic or stopped at a traffic light, but does not include motorists who have parked on the side of the road or another place where a vehicle can remain stopped safely.

Using handheld devices for navigational use or alerting emergency responders is still allowed

Shapiro said the law requires law enforcement to collect data on drivers pulled over during traffic stops, including race, ethnicity, and gender, as part of an effort to prevent bias in policing. The data will be made publicly available in an annual report.