Distracted driving has long been one of the most preventable causes of serious accidents on Pennsylvania roads. In 2024, Pennsylvania took a significant step toward addressing it by enacting Paul Miller's Law, a statewide hands-free driving requirement that fundamentally changed what drivers in the Commonwealth are legally permitted to do with their phones behind the wheel. Whether you are a driver trying to understand your obligations or were injured by a distracted driver, understanding this law and its implications is important.
Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, P.C. represents car accident victims throughout Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. Call us at (412) 391-7610 today to get the legal help you need.
What Is Paul Miller's Law?
Paul Miller's Law is Pennsylvania's hands-free driving statute, named in honor of Paul Miller, a Pennsylvania man killed by a distracted driver who was using a handheld cell phone at the time of the crash. The law reflects years of advocacy by Miller's family and safety organizations who pushed the Pennsylvania legislature to address the state's historically permissive approach to handheld phone use while driving.
It took effect in June 2025, making Pennsylvania one of the later states to adopt a comprehensive hands-free requirement. Before its passage, Pennsylvania only prohibited texting while driving, leaving a significant gap that allowed drivers to talk on handheld phones, scroll through apps, and otherwise use their devices in ways that are equally dangerous.
What the Law Prohibits and Who It Applies To
Paul Miller's Law applies to all drivers operating a motor vehicle on any public road in Pennsylvania. The law prohibits drivers from holding or using a handheld electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. A phone cannot be held in the hand for any purpose while the vehicle is in motion or temporarily stopped in traffic.
The prohibition is intentionally broad and includes:
- Texting or using any handheld device for messaging
- Making calls without a hands-free device
- Using navigation apps by holding the phone
- Scrolling through social media or other apps
- Any other interactive use of a handheld device while driving
Simply holding the device is a violation, regardless of whether the driver is actively using it. There is no exemption for local roads, residential streets, or low-speed zones.
However, there are limited exceptions. Drivers may use a handheld device to contact emergency services when no hands-free alternative is available. First responders acting in the course of their official duties are also exempt. Beyond these narrow situations, the hands-free requirement applies without exception.
Penalties for Violating Paul Miller's Law
The immediate financial penalties under Paul Miller's Law are relatively modest, but the real consequences of a violation extend well beyond the fine itself. For the first 12 months after the law took effect, violations resulted in a written warning. Beginning June 5, 2026, a violation comes with a $50 fine plus court costs and fees. The law does not add points to a driver’s license for a standard violation, though distracted driving can be considered among more serious charges in fatal crashes.
In the context of a car wreck, a citation for violating Paul Miller's Law becomes significant evidence of negligence in any resulting personal injury claim, and that civil liability exposure far exceeds the cost of the ticket itself.
Distracted Driving Statistics in Pennsylvania
Distracted driving has been a persistent and measurable problem on Pennsylvania roads for years, and the data that preceded Paul Miller's Law helped build the case for its passage.
Crash and Fatality Data Before the Law
Before Paul Miller's Law took effect, Pennsylvania recorded thousands of distracted driving-related crashes, with hundreds resulting in serious injuries or fatalities each year. Cell phone use was identified as a contributing factor in a meaningful share of those incidents, and the gap in the prior law that permitted handheld calls while prohibiting only texting was widely criticized as insufficient given what research showed about the risks caused by distracted driving.
Early Trends After Implementation
Because the hands-free provisions of Paul Miller’s Law took effect in 2025, comprehensive post-implementation crash data is still being gathered and analyzed by PennDOT and safety researchers.
Early enforcement data shows that Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies have begun issuing citations under the new law, and safety advocates are monitoring whether citation rates and public awareness translate into measurable reductions in distracted driving crashes over the coming years.
How Distracted Driving Continues to Affect Pennsylvania Drivers
Despite the new law, distracted driving remains a serious risk on Pennsylvania roads. Behavioral change following new traffic laws typically takes time, enforcement is inherently imperfect, and hands-free technology does not eliminate cognitive distraction entirely.
Pennsylvania drivers are watching to see whether the law produces the safety improvements its advocates projected based on outcomes in other states that implemented similar requirements years earlier.
How Paul Miller's Law Affects Car Accident Claims
For anyone involved in a car crash caused by a distracted driver, Paul Miller's Law has direct and meaningful implications for how liability is established and how a claim proceeds.
Using Violations as Evidence of Negligence
A citation for violating Paul Miller's Law at the time of an accident is powerful evidence in a personal injury claim. It documents that the driver was engaging in prohibited conduct, establishes a breach of the legal standard of care, and directly connects that breach to the circumstances of the crash. Phone records confirming active device use at the moment of impact, obtained through the legal discovery process, can reinforce and expand on what the citation establishes.
Comparative Negligence in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule, meaning an injured party can recover compensation as long as they are not more than 50% at fault for the accident.
When a driver violated Paul Miller's Law and caused a crash, that violation may significantly strengthen the injured party's liability argument and makes it considerably harder for the at-fault driver's insurer to assign fault to the victim.
What to Do If You're Hit by a Distracted Driver
If you are involved in an accident with a driver you believe was using a handheld device:
- Document everything at the scene. Note whether the other driver was holding a phone, whether they appeared distracted before the collision, and any statements they made about phone use.
- Gather witness information. Collect names and contact details from anyone who saw the crash or the other driver’s behavior beforehand.
- Report your observations to the responding officer. Tell the police you believe the other driver was distracted and provide any evidence you observed.
- Contact a Pittsburgh car accident lawyer with Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, P.C. before speaking with any insurance adjuster about the accident or your injuries.
Common Misconceptions About Pennsylvania's Cell Phone Law
Several misconceptions about Paul Miller's Law continue to circulate among drivers, and clarifying them helps both compliance and liability analysis.
"Hands-Free Means No Risk"
Hands-free technology reduces certain risks associated with handheld device use, but research consistently shows that cognitive distraction from phone conversations, even when using hands-free technology, impairs driving performance. Hands-free compliance satisfies Paul Miller's Law, but it does not eliminate the underlying distraction risk that phone conversations create.
"I Was Only Checking GPS"
Holding a phone to check or adjust GPS navigation is a violation of Paul Miller's Law. Navigation must be set up before driving or operated through a properly mounted hands-free device. The reason for holding the phone is irrelevant to whether a violation has occurred.
How a Pittsburgh Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you were injured by a distracted driver in Pittsburgh or anywhere in Western Pennsylvania, the firm you choose to represent you matters. Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, P.C. has been fighting for injured Pennsylvanians for decades, and our Pittsburgh motor vehicle accident attorneys bring that depth of experience to every distracted driving case we handle.
Our lawyers investigate accidents thoroughly, obtaining phone records through the legal discovery process, reviewing crash reports, and identifying witnesses who observed distracted driving behavior before or during the collision.
We build the liability case using Paul Miller's Law violations and all available evidence of negligence, handle every communication and negotiation with insurance companies on your behalf, and pursue the full compensation you are entitled to including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Our firm operates on a contingent fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you. In fatal cases involving a distracted driver, we also represent families in wrongful death claims with the same commitment and the same contingent fee structure. We win 99.7% of the time and our fee is only 25%. Other lawyers charge 40%, which is almost half of your money!
Contact SSF Law Firm After a Distracted Driving Accident
Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, P.C. has represented Pittsburgh personal injury victims for decades with a track record that reflects our commitment to results. If a distracted driver caused your accident, do not wait to get legal guidance. Contact us at (412) 391-7610 today for a free consultation.
