Law enforcement is waiting to crack down in June on a common dangerous driving practice they see often but have no associated charge for — yet.

Paul Miller’s Law, or Act 18 of 2024, will ban the use of handheld devices while driving after June 5. Pennsylvania will become the 31st state to ban handheld cellphone use while driving.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said Lt. William Ahlgren, a community relations officer for the Cranberry Township Police Department.

Law enforcement will issue a warning for drivers holding their cellphones during the bill’s first year and will issue a $50 fine after. The sentence may be enhanced to 2 to 5 years of confinement if the offense occurs in an active work zone or in conjunction with other driving offenses, according to the law.

Ahlgren said the department sees distracted driving and drivers holding their cellphones “all the time,” but currently officers can only issue a citation if drivers are texting while driving, which can be challenging to prove.

The only exception to the new law is when drivers must hold their phone to communicate with emergency services while driving. The bill’s language encompasses all wireless devices used to send or receive data.

The law also eliminates the ability to use handheld devices while stopped at stop lights or in traffic. Drivers under the new law must pull off the road to use their device legally.

Ahlgren said he isn’t optimistic about a warning for the first year solving the problem. People have learned and reinforced the behavior of reaching for their cellphone when it goes off, he said, and it will take time and the pressure of a fine to unlearn that behavior.

The law is named after Paul Miller Jr., who was killed in a 2010 crash between his vehicle and a tractor-trailer in Monroe County operated by a distracted driver reaching for their phone, according to a news release issued by Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Miller’s mother, Eileen, became an advocate for stronger distracted driving laws.

In Butler County, more legislators voted against the bill than for it.

State Sen. Elder Vogel, R-47th, and Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, R-12th, voted in favor of Paul Miller’s Law; and Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, and Reps. Aaron Bernstine, R-8th, Marci Mustello, R-11th, and Tim Bonner, R-17th, voted against it.

“As I have stated since (Act 18) was signed last year, this legislation provides another avenue to prioritize and maintain our road safety, prevent future accidents, and ultimately saving the lives of our residents,” Vogel said in a statement to the Butler Eagle.

Vogel cited the 423 distracted driving crashes recorded in 2023 in his district covering parts of Butler, Beaver and Lawrence counties. He attributed four fatalities to the crashes.

Scialabba echoed previous comments she made when Paul Miller’s Law was passed saying law enforcement she’s spoken with were encouraged the legislation would help curb distracted driving.

“Cellphone use behind the wheel is dangerous,” she said previously. “It’s not unreasonable to expect drivers to hold the wheel and not the phone.”

Bernstine and Mustello agreed distracted driving is a dangerous problem, but felt additional legislation wasn’t the solution. Bernstine said it would be nearly impossible to prove beyond reasonable doubt a driver was on their phone and he said there were many flaws in how the legislation was drafted, but agreed with its premise.

“Clearly, it’s an issue with distracted driving and we know that has the potential to cause accidents,” Bernstine said.

Mustello also raised issues with the legislation’s drafting, as it may cause drivers to use their devices below the window line, a “worse ergonomic and more distractive location to avoid being seen.” She also said there are mixed results on whether bans decrease distracted driving incidents.

“In general, I believe that, when possible, we should seek to educate, not legislate,” Mustello said.

State police data shows the primary age of operators involved in distracted driving crashes are age 30 to 40, which strays from historical trends that put older teens as the top offenders.

State police recorded 1,472 crashes where at least one driver was distracted between April 2024 and March 2025. Almost 300 of those were in the age 30 to 40 range, a cohort that also crashes most often with about 1,432 total crashes reported.

In total, about 151 of the distracted driving crashes took place in Butler County.

State police issued more than 16,800 citations related to distracted driving in the last year, and an additional 627 citations related to texting and driving. Fifteen were issued in Butler County.

PennDOT counted 11,262 crashes, 409 suspected serious injuries and 65 deaths in 2023 caused by distracted driving. Data from Pennsylvania courts shows most offenses occurred between 10 a.m. and noon.