Driving around Bucks County Friday and Saturday and watching other motorists hold full length conversations, cell phone in one hand, steering wheel in the other, apparently not knowing this is a primary driving offenses in the commonwealth as of last week, calls for a reminder to drivers police agencies say,
“Put the Devices Down!”
Distracted driving surpassed alcohol-related crashes in Pennsylvania and asresult Governor Shapiro signed a new law prohibiting the use of “interactive mobile devices” while operating a motor vehicle – 75 Pa. C.S. §3316.1
Yesterday, at about 2:15 PM, a 48 year old male resident of Levittown was driving his Dodge Ram Pickup Truck along Levittown Parkway in the area of Spur Lane, when a 29 female Bristol Township resident crossed the roadway and was struck. The preliminary investigation determined that alcohol, drugs or a medical emergency were not factors in causation, as the pedestrian crossed the roadway in an unsafe manner/location. She was transported to Jefferson Torresdale where she was listed in stable condition after having received several fractures and a laceration to her head as a result of the collision. Anyone with information is asked to contact the assigned investigator, P/O Brian Fisher, at (215) 328-8519, or via email at b.fisher@fallstwppd.com.”>The new law is in memory of Paul Miller Jr, who was tragically killed in a head-on crash by a distracted commercial vehicle driver. The new law went into effect on June 5, 2025.
Here’s what motorists need to know about the new law:
What is an interactive mobile device? The Vehicle Code defines this as, “A handheld wireless telephone, personal digital assistant, smart phone, portable or mobile computer or similar device which can be used for voice communication, texting, e-mailing, browsing the Internet, instant messaging, playing games, taking or transmitting images, recording or broadcasting videos, creating or sharing social media or otherwise sending or receiving electronic data.”
This means that drivers are prohibited from holding hold any such device(s) in their hand, or use any part of their body to support it for use, while operating a motor vehicle!
State and local police are closely monitoring what motorists will be doing on the roadways and rest assured distracted drivers will be pulled over.
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