Pa. set to expand cellphone ban for drivers — aiming to shift focus from phones to freeway

Fair warning: Come June 5, it will not be legal to hold a cellphone — even during calls — while driving in Pennsylvania. The new law expands the state’s restrictions on cellphone use while driving.

Those who are caught violating the law will receive written warnings until June, 5, 2026. That’s when a $50 fine can be imposed for talking on a cellphone.

Using Bluetooth and hands-free devices to make calls is allowed, as is using the phone during an emergency. The law applies to vehicles at traffic signals or stop signs.

When Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the law a year ago, he said the aim was to reduce the number of crashes caused by distracted driving.

The law is named for Paul Miller Jr., who was killed in 2010 in a crash in Monroe County that was the result of a distracted driver. Miller’s family has since advocated for tougher laws.

There were nearly 6,700 injuries and 65 deaths in the more than 11,200 crashes involving a distracted driver in 2023 in the state, according to PennDOT data.

The law builds on a 13-year-old ban on texting while driving in the state. Provisions in the laws prohibit a driver from being cited under both laws at the same time.

Between 2020 and 2024, about 150 and 200 tickets have been issued each year in Allegheny County for texting violations. In Westmoreland County during the same time period, the number of citations each year is between 18 and 38.

It is among the violations police crack down on during special aggressive driving crackdowns periodically conducted across the commonwealth.