Free Consultation (800) 777-4081
Menu

Governor Corbett Signs Pennsylvania Anti-Texting Bill Into Law

Pennsylvania became the 35th state to enact distracted driving legislation when Governor Tom Corbett signed the state’s anti-texting bill into law. Beginning March 1, 2012, drivers will be prohibited from using handheld mobile devices to send, read or create text messages while behind the wheel. This is a positive step in the fight to reduce Pennsylvania auto crashes.

Pennsylvania lawmakers had debated the issue for several years. Apparently, years of statistics highlighting distracted driving trends have now convinced legislators to act. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that distracted driving caused nearly 16 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008, with 5,800 people losing their lives in such accidents. In 2009, the NHTSA reported that 20 percent of all auto accidents involved distracted driving.

Further, The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) released a report indicating that text messaging is more likely to cause accidents than talking on cell phones. It cited several studies explaining how texting takes a driver’s eyes off the road and affects lane positioning as well as a driver’s speed.

Teenagers and Texting While Driving

While all drivers cause texting while driving accidents, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported that between 2005 and 2009, more than 120,000 crashes involved teen drivers, and a number of these accidents were reportedly caused by excessive speed and distracted driving; two elements commonly linked to younger drivers.

Since 2009, states across the country have enacted laws against texting while driving. Many Pennsylvania residents, especially those with teen drivers, applauded the new law. They believe that it is a step in the right direction.

Governor Corbett expressed the significance of the bill by signing it into law at an AT&T store in Camp Hill. Texting while driving will be a primary offense in Pennsylvania, meaning that law enforcement may stop a driver for this offense alone. Offending drivers will face a $50 fine.

schedule a free consultation all fields required *
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
View All Locations