As part of Highway Safety Law Awareness Week, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and its safety partners are urging motorists to eliminate distractions while driving.

Officials from PennDOT, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Oil City Police Department, and the Highway Safety Network gathered Thursday at Oil City High School in Venango County to educate drivers on the dangers of distracted driving.

“The list of potential distractions while driving is nearly limitless,” said Mike Tautin, Highway Safety Network community traffic safety project coordinator. “Actions such as adjusting your music or eating a meal on the go might seem harmless, but they are life-threatening when you do them while operating a motor vehicle.”

According to PennDOT data, there were 11,262 crashes statewide involving a distracted driver in 2023, resulting in 65 fatalities. In Pennsylvania’s northwest region–which includes Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties–there were 540 distracted driving crashes and six fatalities last year.

To address the issue, Pennsylvania will soon enforce “Paul Miller’s Law,” named after Paul Miller, who was killed in 2010 when a distracted driver reaching for their phone caused a crash with a tractor-trailer in Monroe County.

Under the new law, using an interactive mobile device while driving will become a primary offense, meaning officers can pull over drivers solely for holding a phone or other device.

The law will take effect on June 5, 2025, with written warnings issued for violations during the first 12 months. Beginning June 5, 2026, penalties will increase to a summary offense with a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees.

“Under this new law, we will be able to pull over drivers who are observed with a mobile device in their hand while driving,” said PSP Troop E Community Services Officer Todd Bingman. “There are limited exceptions for drivers to use their phones, such as dialing 911 in an emergency or having hands-free technology integrated into the vehicle.”

Currently, Pennsylvania law bans texting while driving, but the new legislation strengthens enforcement by prohibiting any handheld mobile device use behind the wheel.

To help motorists stay focused on the road, PennDOT offers the following safety tips: Pull over and park in a safe location if you need to send or read a text. Ask a passenger to handle phone calls and messages. Store your phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat to prevent temptation. Use “driving mode” and enable auto-replies to let others know you will respond when it is safe.

For more information on Paul Miller’s Law and distracted driving prevention, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov.