Bill Prohibiting Use of Hand-Held Devices While Driving Signed Into Law by Shapiro
Commonwealth becomes 29th state to outlaw use of handheld devices while driving
June 5, 2024
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Commonwealth becomes 29th state to outlaw use of handheld devices while driving
Pennsylvania became the 29th state to ban distracted driving today as Gov. Josh Shapiro signed “Paul Miller’s Law” into being.
In an early afternoon bill signing in the Governor’s Reception Room, Shapiro put his signature on Senate Bill 37 that prohibits the use of hand-held devices while driving. Drivers can still use their phones to alert emergency responders and to make phone calls, use a GPS, and listen to music, if they are using hands-free technology.
The bill was named for Paul Miller, who was killed by a distracted tractor-trailer driver reaching for his phone in 2010.
“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,” said Shapiro. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation – passed and signed into law in honor of Paul Miller’s legacy – empowers our state and local police to stop distracted driving and make our roads and communities safer. This law also increases transparency and ensures accountability at traffic stops while providing crucial public safety data to keep our roads safe. This is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together — Senators and Representatives from both parties came together to pass commonsense legislation that will save lives across Pennsylvania.”
Championed by Sen. Rosemary Brown (R-Lackawanna/Monroe/Wayne), the bipartisan legislation allows law enforcement officials to ticket motorists using hand-held devices, behavior that endangers other motorists and pedestrians.
“After more than a decade of dedicated work to enact this legislation, the passage of Senate Bill 37 marks a monumental victory for Pennsylvania,” said Brown. “As this bill is signed into law, I am filled with gratitude for those who helped me along this process, and I know this measure will protect drivers, prevent crashes, and save lives. This bill is more than legislation – it is a reminder of the power of perseverance and the impact we can have when we prioritize public safety.”
According to Brown’s co-sponsorship legislation, the AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index found that seven in eight drivers (87.5%) believe that distracted driving has outpaced all other traffic-related issues as a growing safety concern and virtually all drivers (96.8 percent) view texting or emailing while driving a serious threat.
“When Paul passed away, when unfortunately, two Dunmore state troopers came knocking on my door to tell me that my son was killed, I did not know it was distracted driving at the time,” said Eileen Miller, Paul Miller Jr.’s mother. “My son did everything right – and somebody else was the one who was the cause of my son’s demise. I whispered in the ear of my son at the morgue – who I couldn’t even identify, I didn’t even know that it was him, he was that bad – but I whispered in his ear that when I found out what had caused that crash, I would fight for change. We later found out that it was distracted driving. I held that honor to him – and today is Paul Miller’s law. I’ve gotten it done, Paul, I did it. This is for every family that is in Pennsylvania that doesn’t have to have two state troopers knocking on their door to tell them that their loved one was killed by something so preventable as distracted driving.”
In 2023, distracted driving was the leading cause of car crashes in Pennsylvania with traffic deaths rising by 2.25% compared to 2022, according to PennDOT’s annual crash information report. The report showed 1,209 deaths in motor vehicle crashes, up from 1,179 in the prior year. There were more than 11,262 distracted driving crashes in 2023, compared to 8,330 alcohol-related crashes.
Pennsylvania now joins all of its border states – New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio and West Virginia – in banning handheld cellphone use.
Pennsylvania became the 29th state to ban distracted driving today as Gov. Josh Shapiro signed “Paul Miller’s Law” into being.
In an early afternoon bill signing in the Governor’s Reception Room, Shapiro put his signature on Senate Bill 37 that prohibits the use of hand-held devices while driving. Drivers can still use their phones to alert emergency responders and to make phone calls, use a GPS, and listen to music, if they are using hands-free technology.
The bill was named for Paul Miller, who was killed by a distracted tractor-trailer driver reaching for his phone in 2010.
“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,” said Shapiro. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation – passed and signed into law in honor of Paul Miller’s legacy – empowers our state and local police to stop distracted driving and make our roads and communities safer. This law also increases transparency and ensures accountability at traffic stops while providing crucial public safety data to keep our roads safe. This is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together — Senators and Representatives from both parties came together to pass commonsense legislation that will save lives across Pennsylvania.”
Championed by Sen. Rosemary Brown (R-Lackawanna/Monroe/Wayne), the bipartisan legislation allows law enforcement officials to ticket motorists using hand-held devices, behavior that endangers other motorists and pedestrians.
“After more than a decade of dedicated work to enact this legislation, the passage of Senate Bill 37 marks a monumental victory for Pennsylvania,” said Brown. “As this bill is signed into law, I am filled with gratitude for those who helped me along this process, and I know this measure will protect drivers, prevent crashes, and save lives. This bill is more than legislation – it is a reminder of the power of perseverance and the impact we can have when we prioritize public safety.”
According to Brown’s co-sponsorship legislation, the AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index found that seven in eight drivers (87.5%) believe that distracted driving has outpaced all other traffic-related issues as a growing safety concern and virtually all drivers (96.8 percent) view texting or emailing while driving a serious threat.
“When Paul passed away, when unfortunately, two Dunmore state troopers came knocking on my door to tell me that my son was killed, I did not know it was distracted driving at the time,” said Eileen Miller, Paul Miller Jr.’s mother. “My son did everything right – and somebody else was the one who was the cause of my son’s demise. I whispered in the ear of my son at the morgue – who I couldn’t even identify, I didn’t even know that it was him, he was that bad – but I whispered in his ear that when I found out what had caused that crash, I would fight for change. We later found out that it was distracted driving. I held that honor to him – and today is Paul Miller’s law. I’ve gotten it done, Paul, I did it. This is for every family that is in Pennsylvania that doesn’t have to have two state troopers knocking on their door to tell them that their loved one was killed by something so preventable as distracted driving.”
In 2023, distracted driving was the leading cause of car crashes in Pennsylvania with traffic deaths rising by 2.25% compared to 2022, according to PennDOT’s annual crash information report. The report showed 1,209 deaths in motor vehicle crashes, up from 1,179 in the prior year. There were more than 11,262 distracted driving crashes in 2023, compared to 8,330 alcohol-related crashes.
Pennsylvania now joins all of its border states – New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio and West Virginia – in banning handheld cellphone use.
Pennsylvania became the 29th state to ban distracted driving today as Gov. Josh Shapiro signed “Paul Miller’s Law” into being.
In an early afternoon bill signing in the Governor’s Reception Room, Shapiro put his signature on Senate Bill 37 that prohibits the use of hand-held devices while driving. Drivers can still use their phones to alert emergency responders and to make phone calls, use a GPS, and listen to music, if they are using hands-free technology.
The bill was named for Paul Miller, who was killed by a distracted tractor-trailer driver reaching for his phone in 2010.
“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,” said Shapiro. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation – passed and signed into law in honor of Paul Miller’s legacy – empowers our state and local police to stop distracted driving and make our roads and communities safer. This law also increases transparency and ensures accountability at traffic stops while providing crucial public safety data to keep our roads safe. This is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together — Senators and Representatives from both parties came together to pass commonsense legislation that will save lives across Pennsylvania.”
Championed by Sen. Rosemary Brown (R-Lackawanna/Monroe/Wayne), the bipartisan legislation allows law enforcement officials to ticket motorists using hand-held devices, behavior that endangers other motorists and pedestrians.
“After more than a decade of dedicated work to enact this legislation, the passage of Senate Bill 37 marks a monumental victory for Pennsylvania,” said Brown. “As this bill is signed into law, I am filled with gratitude for those who helped me along this process, and I know this measure will protect drivers, prevent crashes, and save lives. This bill is more than legislation – it is a reminder of the power of perseverance and the impact we can have when we prioritize public safety.”
According to Brown’s co-sponsorship legislation, the AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index found that seven in eight drivers (87.5%) believe that distracted driving has outpaced all other traffic-related issues as a growing safety concern and virtually all drivers (96.8 percent) view texting or emailing while driving a serious threat.
“When Paul passed away, when unfortunately, two Dunmore state troopers came knocking on my door to tell me that my son was killed, I did not know it was distracted driving at the time,” said Eileen Miller, Paul Miller Jr.’s mother. “My son did everything right – and somebody else was the one who was the cause of my son’s demise. I whispered in the ear of my son at the morgue – who I couldn’t even identify, I didn’t even know that it was him, he was that bad – but I whispered in his ear that when I found out what had caused that crash, I would fight for change. We later found out that it was distracted driving. I held that honor to him – and today is Paul Miller’s law. I’ve gotten it done, Paul, I did it. This is for every family that is in Pennsylvania that doesn’t have to have two state troopers knocking on their door to tell them that their loved one was killed by something so preventable as distracted driving.”
In 2023, distracted driving was the leading cause of car crashes in Pennsylvania with traffic deaths rising by 2.25% compared to 2022, according to PennDOT’s annual crash information report. The report showed 1,209 deaths in motor vehicle crashes, up from 1,179 in the prior year. There were more than 11,262 distracted driving crashes in 2023, compared to 8,330 alcohol-related crashes.
Pennsylvania now joins all of its border states – New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio and West Virginia – in banning handheld cellphone use.
Pennsylvania became the 29th state to ban distracted driving today as Gov. Josh Shapiro signed “Paul Miller’s Law” into being.
In an early afternoon bill signing in the Governor’s Reception Room, Shapiro put his signature on Senate Bill 37 that prohibits the use of hand-held devices while driving. Drivers can still use their phones to alert emergency responders and to make phone calls, use a GPS, and listen to music, if they are using hands-free technology.
The bill was named for Paul Miller, who was killed by a distracted tractor-trailer driver reaching for his phone in 2010.
“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,” said Shapiro. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation – passed and signed into law in honor of Paul Miller’s legacy – empowers our state and local police to stop distracted driving and make our roads and communities safer. This law also increases transparency and ensures accountability at traffic stops while providing crucial public safety data to keep our roads safe. This is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together — Senators and Representatives from both parties came together to pass commonsense legislation that will save lives across Pennsylvania.”
Championed by Sen. Rosemary Brown (R-Lackawanna/Monroe/Wayne), the bipartisan legislation allows law enforcement officials to ticket motorists using hand-held devices, behavior that endangers other motorists and pedestrians.
“After more than a decade of dedicated work to enact this legislation, the passage of Senate Bill 37 marks a monumental victory for Pennsylvania,” said Brown. “As this bill is signed into law, I am filled with gratitude for those who helped me along this process, and I know this measure will protect drivers, prevent crashes, and save lives. This bill is more than legislation – it is a reminder of the power of perseverance and the impact we can have when we prioritize public safety.”
According to Brown’s co-sponsorship legislation, the AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index found that seven in eight drivers (87.5%) believe that distracted driving has outpaced all other traffic-related issues as a growing safety concern and virtually all drivers (96.8 percent) view texting or emailing while driving a serious threat.
“When Paul passed away, when unfortunately, two Dunmore state troopers came knocking on my door to tell me that my son was killed, I did not know it was distracted driving at the time,” said Eileen Miller, Paul Miller Jr.’s mother. “My son did everything right – and somebody else was the one who was the cause of my son’s demise. I whispered in the ear of my son at the morgue – who I couldn’t even identify, I didn’t even know that it was him, he was that bad – but I whispered in his ear that when I found out what had caused that crash, I would fight for change. We later found out that it was distracted driving. I held that honor to him – and today is Paul Miller’s law. I’ve gotten it done, Paul, I did it. This is for every family that is in Pennsylvania that doesn’t have to have two state troopers knocking on their door to tell them that their loved one was killed by something so preventable as distracted driving.”
In 2023, distracted driving was the leading cause of car crashes in Pennsylvania with traffic deaths rising by 2.25% compared to 2022, according to PennDOT’s annual crash information report. The report showed 1,209 deaths in motor vehicle crashes, up from 1,179 in the prior year. There were more than 11,262 distracted driving crashes in 2023, compared to 8,330 alcohol-related crashes.
Pennsylvania now joins all of its border states – New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio and West Virginia – in banning handheld cellphone use.
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