Paul Miller’s Law Takes Effect in Pennsylvania, Banning Handheld Cellphone Use While Driving

As of June 5, 2025, Pennsylvania’s new Paul Miller’s Law gives police the power to pull over any driver seen holding a cellphone while behind the wheel. The legislation bans the use of handheld communication devices while operating a vehicle in the Commonwealth, aiming to reduce distracted driving.

The law is named in memory of Paul Miller Jr., a 21-year-old Scranton man killed in 2010 when a tractor-trailer driver allegedly reached for his phone and crashed head-on into his vehicle. Paul’s mother, Eileen Miller, has been an advocate for such legislation for over a decade, fulfilling a promise to her son to fight for this change. “We will be saving lives, and that was always my main goal,” she stated.

The prime sponsor of the bill, State Senator Rosemary Brown (R-Lackawanna, Monroe, Wayne) expressed her deep satisfaction, stating, “Seeing this law go into effect is incredibly rewarding knowing it will save lives.” She called it a “commonsense policy,” emphasizing, the importance of drivers remembering “that the cell phone has become the most consistent, repetitive, and lengthy distraction behind the driver’s wheel causing significant public safety concerns. This law will change behaviors and save lives.”

Under Paul Miller’s Law, drivers are prohibited from using at least one hand to hold or support, dialing or answering by pressing more than a single button, or reaching for an interactive mobile device in a manner that requires maneuvering out of a seated driving position. This prohibition applies even when the vehicle is temporarily stationary due to traffic, a red light, or other momentary delays. An “interactive mobile device” is broadly defined to include handheld wireless telephones, smartphones, portable computers, or similar devices used for voice communication, texting, emailing, Browse the internet, instant messaging, playing games, taking or transmitting images, recording or broadcasting videos, and creating or sharing social media.

The legislation includes several key exceptions. Drivers can still use their devices for emergency notification purposes or to communicate with law enforcement or emergency services to prevent injury. Hands-free use, such as voice-activated systems or devices integrated into the vehicle for calls, GPS, or music, remains permitted. The law also includes exceptions for amateur radio operators, emergency service responders in emergency vehicles, and commercial drivers operating under specific federal regulations.

“Paul Miller’s Law is about saving lives,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, urging drivers to put phones out of reach. Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris affirmed that the PSP will enforce the new law to its full extent, emphasizing, “Just one second of inattention can result in irreversible consequences.”

For the initial 12 months, law enforcement will issue written warnings for violations of the new hands-free rule. A $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees, will take effect starting June 6, 2026. Beyond summary offenses, the law significantly increases penalties for serious crashes: a conviction for homicide by vehicle due to a violation of this law could result in an additional five years of confinement, and aggravated assault by vehicle could lead to an additional two years.

In a move aimed at preventing bias in policing, Paul Miller’s Law also mandates data collection on all self-initiated traffic stops. Law enforcement officers are required to collect information including the reason for the stop, the perceived race, ethnicity, and gender of the driver, whether a search was conducted and its results, and the outcome of the stop. This data will be compiled into an annual public report by the Pennsylvania State Police or a designated third party.

According to PennDOT data, Pennsylvania recorded 9,950 crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024, resulting in over 6,000 injuries and 49 fatalities. In 2023, distracted driving crashes, numbering over 11,200, surpassed alcohol-related incidents.

While Paul Miller’s Law has garnered broad support among politicians, some critics argue the legislation represents governmental overreach. Luke Saint, president of Future of Christendom and author of The Sound Doctrine of Theocracy, told The Lancaster Patriot that such laws represent an unwelcome expansion of state power. Saint articulated his core opposition by stating, “I believe that it is wrong to subjugate America further in the name of safety. With every new law passed, our lives become less like the America that our founders envisioned and more like free time in the prison yard. Public safety does not occur by decree from the state.”

Saint further posited that “God’s law is not preemptive; it fosters and celebrates safe traditions and customs by its very nature,” contending that governmental efforts to force safety upon a populace ultimately “lower the actual standards of safe practices.”

Saint’s stance is rooted in his advocacy for theonomy, a Christian system of government wherein God’s law is presented as the standard of justice. From this perspective, critics frequently raise concerns about ever-increasing legislation, contending that it represents an incremental expansion of state control and also questioning if similar prohibitions on activities like eating while driving or applying makeup could follow. They contend that punishment should primarily follow actual harm or damage caused, rather than strict enforcement of laws that compel law enforcement officers to intervene based on non-harmful actions. Furthermore, some have suggested that specific bans on handheld device use might paradoxically encourage drivers to attempt to conceal their phones from the view of police, potentially causing longer glances away from the road in an effort to avoid detection.