Latest news with #PaulMillersLaw
CBS News
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Pennsylvania law banning handheld devices while driving takes effect today
Pennsylvania's law that bans using handheld devices while driving takes effect today. The new law, known as Paul Miller's Law, says that picking up your phone for any reason while you're behind the wheel of your vehicle is illegal. The law comes after a man by the name of Paul Miller was killed in a vehicle crash in Monroe County in 2010 when a tractor-trailer driver reached for their phone while driving. The law bans using hand-held devices while driving and this includes when stopped at a red light, in a traffic delay, or during a momentary stop. Phones can still be used in hands-free technology is in place, allowing drivers to use GPS, be on a phone call, or listen to music. One exception in the law allows drivers who are experiencing an emergency situation to call law enforcement or emergency services. If drivers are caught with their phone in their hand, for the first year, it will be a written warning. Starting next year, there will be a $50 fine and court costs. A death by vehicle could include up to five years in jail. The law is enforceable by police as a primary offense, meaning drivers can be pulled over solely for using their phone.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania's distracted driving law soon takes effect: This Week in Pennsylvania
(WHTM) – On This Week in Pennsylvania, Dennis Owens highlights a new law that will affect drivers across Pennsylvania. Eileen Miller lost her 21-year-old son, Paul, to a distracted tractor-trailer driver. After years of advocating for change, 'Paul Miller's Law' will go into effect on June 5, 2025. The law prohibits the use of handheld devices while driving or stopped at a stoplight. Pennsylvanians who violate this law will be fined $50. Eileen Miller joins This Week in Pennsylvania to discuss the new law and what's next in her mission against distracted driving. Every week, This Week in Pennsylvania gives a comprehensive look at the week's biggest news events in Pennsylvania, provided by the abc27 News team, along with the latest updates on local stories. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Check your local listings for weekly air times. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Pennsylvania law banning handheld devices while driving takes effect in June
New law banning cellphone use while driving in Pennsylvania takes effect in June New law banning cellphone use while driving in Pennsylvania takes effect in June New law banning cellphone use while driving in Pennsylvania takes effect in June If you're traveling this Memorial Day weekend, Pennsylvania State Police and AAA want drivers to practice following a new rule of the road that takes effect soon. Paul Miller's Law in Pennsylvania A new law called Paul Miller's Law is putting the brakes on a bad habit. Starting June 5, it'll be illegal to use your cellphone and other electronics while driving. "No body part can maintain that phone. So, it's not just holding it. I know a lot of drivers put their phone on their lap, and that's going to be illegal here in a couple weeks," said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Rocco Gagliardi. "You are still not allowed to pull up that device at a red light, stuck in traffic. That law is very lengthy and real specific," Gagliardi said. "If you want to make that phone call, if you want to be on that phone, you want to play your mobile app, whatever it is, pull off into a parking lot, on a shoulder of the road, you can put your hazards on," he added. Trooper Gagliardi said if you have your phone mounted in your car, you are allowed to accept the call with one push of a button. Texting while driving is already illegal in Pennsylvania. What is Paul Miller's Law? The law is named after Paul Miller Jr., who was killed in a crash in Monroe County after a tractor-trailer driver reached for their phone while driving. Drivers KDKA spoke with in Pittsburgh on Friday said they're on board with the law. "You can't see the road and your phone at the same time," said Kimari Coker. "I've almost gotten into an accident because people aren't paying attention on the road and they're on their phones," said Terry Thomas. "It'll encourage more safety within the community and make sure everyone's being held responsible for their actions," said Jack Forsythe. The state police and AAA have spent a lot of time educating people about the dangers of distracted driving and the new rules. "You take your eyes off the road for a couple of seconds, it's like driving the length of a football field with a blindfold on," said Jim Garrity, director of public affairs of AAA East Central. Now it's time for enforcement. "If someone is using a GPS and they don't have a holder to place it," said Jasmine Harrington, "how are they going to know if it's in your hand?" For the first year, the penalty is a written warning. Then, starting June 5, 2026, it's a summary offense with a $50 fine, as well as court costs and other fees. "We're going to be looking for it, and we're going to have to take that enforcement action," Trooper Gagliardi said. There is an exception in the law. Drivers are allowed to use their phones in an emergency to call law enforcement or other emergency services.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pa. banning all handheld device use while driving
Starting next month, Pennsylvania drivers need to put down their cellphone and most electronic devices while driving or risk a $50 ticket. Pennsylvania law has barred drivers from reading, writing or sending text messages while driving since 2012, but other handheld cell phone uses were permitted; a new law that takes effect June 5 expands the ban to all handheld device use while driving. Here is what you need to know in anticipation of the implementation of Paul Miller's Law in Pennsylvania. Paul Miller's Law defines an interactive mobile device as basically any electronic handheld device that can be used for things such as voice communication, texting, surfing the internet, playing games, taking photos, or sharing social media that can be operated using at least one hand or "supporting body part" or requires pressing more than a single button. More Bucks County News TikTok watched as this Bucks County student was accepted into 5 Ivy League schools Nope. The Pennsylvania law defines driving as operating a motor vehicle on a highway, including anytime the vehicle is temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device or other momentary delay such as a traffic backup. For the first 12 months, the penalty is a written warning. Starting June 5, 2026, the penalty is a summary offense with a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees. The law does not authorize the seizure of an interactive wireless device. The violation carries no points against your license and it is not recorded on the driver's record for noncommercial drivers. It will be recorded on a commercial driver's record as a non-sanction violation. If a driver is convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted, they may be sentenced up to an additional five years in prison A driver may use an interactive mobile device if the driver moves the vehicle to the side of or off a highway and halts in a location where the vehicle can safely remain stationary The hands-free law allows for an emergency use exception if it is necessary to communicate with a law enforcement official or other emergency service to prevent injury to persons or property. The texting ban does NOT include the use of a GPS device or a system or device that is physically or electronically integrated into the vehicle, or a communications device that is affixed to a mass transit vehicle, bus or school bus. Paul Miller Jr., 21, was killed in a head-on motor vehicle accident with a tractor-trailer in 2010 in Monroe County as the result of a distracted driver who reached for their phone while driving. He was a junior at East Stroudsburg University where he was majoring in sociology. His parents say he planned to pursue a career in law enforcement or criminal justice. After his death, his mother, Eileen Miller, has become a national advocate for stronger laws to curb distracted driving. In 2024, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the law prohibiting the use of hand-held devices while driving, making Pennsylvania the 29th state to ban distracted driving. It requires law enforcement to collect data on drivers pulled over during traffic stops, including race, ethnicity, and gender. The data will be made publicly available in an annual report. The amendment was added to prevent bias in policing, according to the Shapiro administration. It was the leading cause of car crashes in Pennsylvania in 2023, according to PennDOT. Traffic deaths in the state attributed to distracted driving rose from 1,179 to 1,209 or 2.25% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to the transportation agency. There were more than 11,262 distracted driving crashes in 2023, compared to 8,330 alcohol-related crashes, according to PennDOT. Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@ . This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Pa. banning all handheld device use while driving
