Summer will be here soon.  June 6 will be here sooner.

            After a year-long warning period, police will then begin issuing $50 citations to drivers for using hand-held devices in vehicles, even while stopped.

            Drivers who check their phones while their vehicles are stopped at red lights or for any other momentary delay could see fines.

           Officials said the new law will build on Pennsylvania's existing ordinance that prohibits texting while their vehicle is in motion and added that the new bill is intended to cut down on distracted driving.

           According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, in 2024, there were 9,950 crashes involving a distracted driver in Pennsylvania, resulting in 49 fatalities and 6,000 injuries. 

            As a primary offense, drivers can now be stopped by police if they have a mobile device in their hands while driving.  The penalty is a summary offense with a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees.  If a driver is convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted, they may be sentenced up to an additional five years in prison.

           A driver may use an interactive mobile device if the driver moves the vehicle to the side of or off a highway and halts in a location where the vehicle can safely remain stationary. The hands-free law allows for an emergency use exception if it is necessary to communicate with a law enforcement official or other emergency service to prevent injury to persons or property.

           Sitting behind a driver using their cell phone and holding up traffic when the light turns green is something many of us have experienced.  A toot of the horn usually results in an obscene gesture in your direction.

            If you're struggling to not text and drive, activate your phone's "Do Not Disturb" feature, silence notifications, or put your phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.

            If you need to use your phone, pull over at a safe place and have at it.  Don't inconvenience, or worse, jeopardize the safety of yourself and others just to answer a text or call.

            Be wise and stay off the phone when you're behind the wheel.