A new law to crack down on distracted drivers is about to go into effect. It’s called “Paul Miller’s Law”.
Miller was killed in 2010 when a truck driver slammed into the back of his Corolla while reaching for the phone he had dropped and the law named in his memory to penalize distracted driving is set to go into effect.
The law prohibits drivers from having a phone, or mobile computer in their hands while they're behind the wheel.
It goes into effect on June 5.
For the first year, police who see a violator will issue warnings.
Then they'll issue $50 fines plus court and other costs.
State Police Trooper Rocco Gagliardi and Triple-A Director of Public Affairs, Jim Garrity, explained what that law means during a news conference on Friday.
“No body part can maintain that phone,” said Trooper Gagliardi. "So, it’s not just holding it, I know a lot of drivers put that phone on their lap and that’s going to be illegal here in a couple weeks.”
Gagliardi tells KDKA Radio's Marty Griffin that checking your phone while driving for a couple seconds is essentially like driving the length of a couple football fields blindfolded.
The same thing goes for grabbing your phone at a red light.
Garrity says research shows grabbing a phone at a red light has what he calls a “hangover” effect.
Learn more about Paul Miller’s Law HERE.