Latest news with #PaulMiller'sLaw
Time of India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Distracted Driving Law: From August 1, drivers in this US state face $100 fines for… Here's what law says, what is banned, exemptions, penalties
Drivers across Louisiana will soon face new restrictions on phone use while driving. A state law, set to take effect August 1, targets distracted driving by imposing penalties on those caught using cell phones behind the wheel. The rule aims to reduce the number of accidents caused by phone-related distractions. What the new Louisiana Distracted Driving Law Says? Under the new law, Louisiana drivers will be fined if they are found using handheld devices while operating a vehicle. The base fine will be $100. If the offense takes place in a school zone or a construction area, the fine will increase to $250. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence MBA Leadership Degree Finance Project Management Public Policy others Healthcare Data Science Digital Marketing Others Design Thinking Management PGDM Technology Product Management Data Science MCA Data Analytics CXO healthcare Operations Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months MIT xPRO CERT-MIT xPRO PGC in Cybersecurity Starts on undefined Get Details Louisiana Distracted Driving Law: What Is Banned? The law specifically prohibits writing, reading, or sending text-based communication. It also bans accessing or posting on social media. Even if drivers are using hands-free systems, texting or emailing is still not allowed. However, the law does not prohibit all phone use. Drivers may still answer calls using hands-free devices like Apple Watches. They are also allowed to use their phones while waiting at a red light. Louisiana Distracted Driving Law: What Exemptions are Included? Certain individuals and situations are exempt from the law. Paramedics using radios and drivers reporting an accident are allowed to use devices. These exceptions ensure emergency and critical communication is not hindered. Live Events Also Read: How Social Security works? Here's how many Americans understand the basics as per AARP Survey Louisiana Distracted Driving Law: When will Penalties Begin? Although the law will take effect on August 1, 2025, Louisiana has announced a grace period. During this period, no fines will be issued. Enforcement will begin in January 2026, giving drivers time to adapt to the new rules. Louisiana Distracted Driving Law: Why Was the Law Introduced? According to the Louisiana Department of Insurance, over one-fourth of all car accidents involve cell phone use. This includes both handheld and hands-free devices. This data prompted the state to strengthen its distracted driving laws. Governor Jeff Landry commented, 'Finally, this year we were able to pass a distracted driving bill.' He emphasized the law's role in reducing crashes. Similar Laws in Other States Louisiana is not alone in passing stricter distracted driving laws. Pennsylvania introduced the 'Paul Miller's Law' in June 2025. This law bans phone use even when drivers are stopped at red lights. It includes a grace period, and fines will start in June 2026. Iowa also enacted a hands-free law on July 1, 2025. Fines will begin in January 2026 and start at $100. Alaska once had one of the nation's harshest penalties for texting and driving. Fines went up to $10,000. However, enforcing the law was difficult, so penalties were reduced. Also Read: What to Watch This Weekend: New movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV, HBO Max and more What Other Behaviors Cause Distractions? Distracted driving includes more than just phone use. Other common distractions are: Adjusting radio or GPS settings Applying makeup Eating and drinking Reaching into the backseat Searching glove compartments or purses These actions take attention away from the road and hands off the wheel, increasing accident risks. How Drivers Can Prevent Distractions? To avoid distractions, drivers can: Enable 'Do Not Disturb' or 'Driving Mode' on phones Place phones in glove boxes or the back seat Park before responding to texts or calls Allow passengers to handle communications Demonstrate safe driving to others These actions help reduce accidents and promote safer roads. FAQs What does Louisiana's distracted driving law ban? It bans texting, emailing, and using social media while driving, even with hands-free systems. Calls are allowed only through hands-free devices. When will Louisiana start issuing fines? Although the law starts on August 1, 2025, fines will not be enforced until January 2026 due to a grace period. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Clarifying claim cellphone 'touch law' implemented in 31 states on June 5, 2025
Claim: On June 5, 2025, a 'touch law" banning the use of handheld cellphones while driving went into effect across 31 U.S. states. Rating: Context: Pennsylvania's "touch law" — officially known as "Paul Miller's Law" — went into effect on June 5, 2025. The other states mentioned in social media posts already had such laws in place before this date, some as far back as 2008. In early June 2025, an online rumor purported that a "touch law" — a law banning the use of handheld cellphones while operating a vehicle — was going into effect across 31 U.S. states as of June 5, 2025. The claim was shared across social media platforms like Facebook (archived) and especially TikTok (archived, archived), with users offering advice to their followers about staying safe and vigilant while driving. The widespread nature of the rumor led some Snopes readers to reach out to us via email questioning its veracity. However, the claim that a "touch law" went into effect in 31 U.S. states on June 5, 2025, is mostly false. Although the 31 states featured in the social media posts do, in fact, have such laws, it was only Pennsylvania's that went into effect on that date. The Pennsylvania law was dubbed "Paul Miller's Law," named after a man "who was tragically killed in a crash with a tractor trailer in 2010 in Monroe County, as the result of a distracted driver who reached for their phone while driving," according to a news release issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. An article on the online tabloid website The U.S. Sun that listed "31 states where drivers face 'touch law'" was published in late May 2025. When combined with timely reports about the Pennsylvania law going into effect, it appeared to result in some of some users conflating the new law with statutes already in place in other states. The other states' "touch laws," typically referred to as "distracted driving" or "hands-free" laws, have been in effect for varying lengths of time since as far back as 2008. Below are the 30 other states listed in The U.S. Sun article with links to each state's respective law or to state government pages about their version of the law. Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New York Ohio Oregon Rhode Island Tennessee Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia An overview of distracted driving laws on the Governors Highway Safety Association website, a nonprofit organization seeking to improve traffic safety and influence national policy, confirmed that these 31 states, along with "D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands," have laws in effect that "prohibit all drivers from using handheld cellphones while driving." The nonprofit also pointed out that "all but Alabama and Missouri are primary enforcement laws," meaning a law-enforcement officer can cite a driver for a violation without requiring any other offense to make a traffic stop. So while it is true that the 31 states in question have laws prohibiting the use of handheld cellphones while driving, it is false to claim that their laws all went into effect on June 5, 2025. § 46.2-818.2. Use of Handheld Personal Communications Devices in Certain Motor Vehicles; Exceptions; Penalty. Accessed 10 June 2025. "2023 New Hampshire Revised Statutes :: Title XXI - Motor Vehicles :: Chapter 265 - Rules of the Road :: Section 265:79-c - Use of Mobile Electronic Devices While Driving; Prohibition." Justia Law, Accessed 10 June 2025. "2024 New Jersey Revised Statutes :: Title 39 - Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation :: Section 39:4-97.3 - Use of Wireless Telephone, Electronic Communication Device in Moving Vehicles; Definitions; Enforcement." Justia Law, Accessed 10 June 2025. 161385360554578. "31 States with Fines up to $450 for 'touch Law' Violations - Even at Red Lights." The US Sun, 27 May 2025, AB 1785- CHAPTERED. Accessed 10 June 2025. Cell Phone Use and Texting | NY DMV. Accessed 10 June 2025. "Colorado Hands-Free Law." Colorado Department of Transportation, Accessed 10 June 2025. Connecticut Cell Phone Laws. State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, Distracted Driving. Accessed 10 June 2025. ---. Accessed 10 June 2025. Distracted Driving | Department of Motor Vehicles. Accessed 10 June 2025. Distracted Driving | Governors Highway Safety Association. Accessed 10 June 2025. Distracted Driving | Iowa Department of Public Safety. Accessed 10 June 2025. Distracted Driving | Tennessee Traffic Safety Resource Service. Accessed 10 June 2025. Distracted Driving - What Is a Text Worth? Illinois State Police, Distracted Driving Laws | Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Accessed 10 June 2025. "Hands-Free Law." Massachusetts State Police, Hands-Free Law – Drive Safe Alabama. Accessed 10 June 2025. Hands-Free Law – Home | Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety. Accessed 10 June 2025. Hands-Free Law Takes Effect on Monday | Missouri Department of Transportation. Accessed 10 June 2025. HB2318 - 541R - S Ver. Accessed 10 June 2025. HDOT and Its Partners Remind Drivers to "Put the Phone Away or Pay," for Distracted Driver Awareness Month. Accessed 10 June 2025. INDOT. "Hands-Free Indiana." INDOT, 15 July 2021, Maine's Hands-Free Driving Law. Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, Oregon Department of Transportation : Distracted Driving : Safety : State of Oregon. Accessed 10 June 2025. 'Paul Miller's Law' Effective June 5. Accessed 10 June 2025. Phones Down. It's the Law. Accessed 10 June 2025. RCW 46.61.672: Using a Personal Electronic Device While Driving. Accessed 10 June 2025. RI HandsFree Law - Rhode Island Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Accessed 10 June 2025. Save a Life: Put the Cell Phone Down. Maryland Department of Transportation, Section 49-1401A – Idaho State Legislature. Accessed 10 June 2025. State of Delaware - Office of Highway Safety (OHS) - Distracted Driving. Accessed 10 June 2025. "Texting While Driving." Wikipedia, 25 May 2025. Wikipedia, Traffic Laws. Accessed 10 June 2025. "What to Know about Pa.'s New Distracted Driving Law." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Accessed 10 June 2025.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PennDOT, law enforcement stress driver vigilance at annual Safety Day
PennDOT held its annual Safety Day event, emphasizing the importance of road safety as peak travel season begins across the country. The event, held at the North East Welcome Center along Interstate 90, featured 91 crosses to honor PennDOT workers who have died in the line of duty since 1970. These crosses serve as a somber reminder of the risks faced by road workers and the importance of driver vigilance. WQLN president and CEO speaks on potential loss of federal funds 'It can definitely be tough because of the constant advancement of technology and with what cars are having now,' said Saxon Daugherty, Safety Press Officer for PennDOT District 1. 'We try to stay on top of that and evolve with the times and make sure we're applying what drivers are seeing out on the road to what we're talking about in these educational opportunities.' Safety partners at the event advocated for awareness of the dangers of impaired and distracted driving, work zone safety, litter, human trafficking, the Move Over Law, and pedestrian safety. Simulators were available to demonstrate the risks of impaired driving. A significant focus was placed on Paul Miller's Law, which prohibits the use of hand-held devices like cell phones while driving. The law is currently in a one-year warning period to raise awareness before full enforcement begins. Two-week dredging process begins on Erie's East Avenue Boat Launch Trooper Todd Bingman of the Pennsylvania State Police emphasized the importance of the warning period, stating, 'The big point of the one-year of warnings only is to get the word out and to really let people know that this law is in effect and is going to be taken seriously.' Officials at the event stressed the importance of road safety and encouraged drivers to think of their loved ones when behind the wheel, reinforcing that everyone deserves to return home safely. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WJET/WFXP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WJET/WFXP staff before being published. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
05-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
After Paul Miller's death, his mom Eileen explains how a new Pennsylvania distracted driving bill will save lives
Eileen Miller has spent the last 12 years fighting for legislation that will keep drivers off their cell phones — it takes effect in Pennsylvania on Thursday, June 5. "Paul Miller's Law" bans Pennsylvania drivers from using handheld devices, including cell phones, while operating a vehicle. The law allows police officers to pull someone over solely for using their phone, including at red lights or stop signs. The new law is named for Paul Miller, Jr., a Scranton man who died in July 2010 after a tractor-trailer driver, who was reaching for his cell phone, lost control and crashed into Miller's car. The law finally going into effect completes a long journey for Eileen. "It was like finally, finally!" Miller said. "Twelve years of hard fighting, and we finally got it." The law's passing fulfilled a promise she made to her son when she went to the morgue to identify his body. "It was, and still is to this day, the longest, darkest, deepest walk of my life," Miller said. "He was so broken, into a million pieces." Before she left the morgue, Miller whispered into her son's ear. "When I find out what caused this crash, and I will find out," Miller recalled, "I would fight for change." Despite more than a decade of legislative struggles, Miller refused to give up because she didn't want another parent to experience her pain. "I don't want any parent to ever have to go to a morgue to identify their child by something so preventable," Miller said. "I know that this piece of legislation is going to save lives, and that was most important thing." The law allows some exceptions for drivers, such as calling 911 to report an emergency or if a driver paired their cell phone with Bluetooth or CarPlay. Police officers can only give drivers written warnings until June 5, 2026, when officers will then be allowed to hand out $50 citations. However, Miller said that total will likely climb to more than $100 after court costs and administrative fees are added to the fine.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
Cracking down on distracted driving with Paul Miller's Law
(WBRE/WYOU) — According to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) data, in 2024, there were nearly 10,000 crashes involving a distracted driver, resulting in more than 6,000 injuries and 49 deaths. Paul Miller's Law will take effect on Thursday. Under this new law, if you have your phone in your hand, for any reason, while driving, you could face consequences. Effective June 5, 2025, Paul Miller's Law makes it illegal to hold your cellphone while driving. 'The short version is you just can't be holding your phone or physically touching it. The only things you can do is if you're getting a phone call, if your car has a button on it's radio display or on its steering wheel, you can still use that function to answer the phone, but you still can't physically touch the phone itself,' Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Troop P Wilkes-Barre Public Information Officer Trooper Bill Evans explained. Texting while driving is already illegal in PA, but troopers say it's been tricky to enforce. Police chief backs regionalization for departments 'Before this law we used to always have a texting and driving law that said you couldn't text and drive, but there was almost a seemingly built in loophole to that law that would allow people to say that, you know, instead of making a text they were sending a phone call and there was nothing we could do to really prove that beyond a reasonable doubt,' Trooper Evans stated. Paul Miller's Law comes after years of efforts from lawmakers and Eileen Miller, who has been tirelessly advocating for change after her son Paul was killed by a distracted driver back in 2010. PSP says Paul Miller's law will help them keep the roads safer. 'We're happy that we finally got to this point thanks to the Paul Miller Law, thanks to Paul Miller's mother, Eileen, who was a big advocate in making this law happen. Ultimately, our goal as state troopers on the interstates and on the highways is to get the total number of crashes down to zero, and one thing that's going to help eliminate crashes is curbing distracted driving,' Trooper Evans continued. Police plan to enforce this visually while on patrol. For the first year the law is in effect, offenders will receive a warning. Starting June 5, 2026, if you are caught with a phone in hand, you'll receive a fine. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
