New Pennsylvania Law: PA Gov Signs Bill Banning Handheld Devices While Driving

Heads up, hands on the wheel and eyes on the road! A new bill against handheld devices while driving has just been signed into law in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has just signed a bill into law banning the use of handheld cellphones and devices while driving.

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Currently, Pennsylvania has a law against texting, emailing, and browsing while driving. The new law will be more broad, prohibiting the act of holding your cellphone while driving in almost any scenario.

Distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of crashes in Pennsylvania, needlessly injuring about 4,000 people per year and killing an average of 400 people per year, according to PennDOT data. In 2023, distracted driving was the leading cause of vehicle crashes in Pennsylvania.

Under Senate Bill 37, also known as Paul Miller's Law, drivers who are holding their phone are subject to being pulled over by police and issued a fine of $50 for the first offense, and could wind up with a longer prison sentence if their actions cause a serious accident.

Simply put - if you're caught holding a device in your hands while driving, you could get pulled over and issued a ticket. But it's still ok if you're using a device with hands-free technology.

When will the cellphone law go into effect in Pennsylvania?

The new law will go into effect one year after the bill was signed, which will be June 5, 2025. 

This makes Pennsylvania the 29th state to ban distracted driving. Eyes on the road!