In Pennsylvania, it's against the law to text while driving.
If a police officer catches you writing a message while in the driver’s seat, you will have to pay a $50 fine, and it will be considered a summary offense violation with related court fees.
However, using the internet, taking a photo, or watching a video while driving is not covered by the law. This makes it hard for police to enforce the law, and distracted driving continues to be a big problem in Pennsylvania. According to PennDOT, there were 80 deaths in distracted driving crashes in 2022, which was the highest number in the past ten years.
Senator Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe, said, “It’s very clear over the years that the law against texting while driving doesn’t work, because it’s very hard for law enforcement to know if someone is actually texting.”
There might be a change soon, as Senator Rosemary Brown has been working on a bill for 12 years that could soon be approved by the governor. Both the House and the Senate passed it this year. The Senate has to vote one more time to approve changes made by the House before it goes to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk. A spokesperson for Shapiro could not be reached for comment, but Brown said he has shown support for the bill in the past.
Brown’s bill would make any use of a phone while driving a primary offense subject to a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees. Brown first introduced the bill in 2012 and has introduced it multiple times since then.
Jacy Good, an advocate against distracted driving, has been pushing for this change for a long time and thinks it is long overdue.
Jacy Good started advocating against distracted driving a decade ago after a tragic accident that took her parents’ lives and left her severely injured. After spending four months in the hospital, Good survived but now deals with ongoing physical and cognitive issues.
Good’s story is tragic, and she wishes it never happened. She hopes that by sharing her story, people can imagine the impact it has had on her life, and consider how they would cope if they were in her shoes.
Less than a year after the crash, Good started speaking out about distracted driving, sharing her story on the Oprah Winfrey Show, in a People Magazine article, and in many other media outlets. She has consistently called for a ban on all forms of phone use while driving.
Muhlenberg College graduate Jacy Good was injured in a 2008 Berks County crash that killed her parents when a teenage driver ran a red light. (Monica Cabrera / The Morning Call)