Popular searches:
dui lawyer dui school dui classes dui felony dui jail dui probation
Talk to a Lawyer
Enter a zip code to speak to a Lawyer that serves your area.
Select the type of Lawyer you need
Pennsylvania Cell Phone and Text Messaging Laws
Pennsylvania 2010 Legislation Update
Pennsylvania House Passes Ban on Cell Phone Use - Bill moves on to the Senate
Yesterday (January 26th, 2010) the house overwhelmingly approved a bill that would ban both talking and texting while driving.
If the bill became law in it's current form, an offense would impose a $50 fine on the driver and excludes calls made in emergency situations.
There is an allowance for hands free operation of a phone and GPS navigation systems would still be legal.
The bill now moves on to the senate, who also has bills related to distracted driving that are being considered.
The Governor has agreed to sign the bill passed by the house if it makes it through the senate.
Other Cell Phone / Text Messaging Legislation
There are a few distracted driving bills currently pending in the legislature.
Although similar bills in the past have failed, there is a nationwide trend towards moving distracting driving legislation forward.
Only time will tell if any of these bills are moved forward and signed into law.
I plan on updating the status of these bills if time allows, otherwise if you use the links provided, you should be able to track the progress's of any of these bills.
The information below was gathered mainly from the NCSL website and the Pennsylvania General Assembly website.
Pennsylvania - Senate Bill 143 - Motor Vehicles Cell Phone Prohibition
Purpose: Amends the Vehicles Code. Prohibits the operation of motor vehicles while using electronic wireless communications devices.
Status: Pending
Pennsylvania - Senate Bill 305 - Text Messaging While Driving
Purpose: Amends the Vehicles Code. Provides for the prohibition of text messaging while driving.
Status: Pending
Pennsylvania - Senate Bill 459 - Mobile Telephones Prohibition
Purpose: No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon a highway while
using a mobile telephone or hand-held communication device to engage in
a call or wireless communication while the vehicle is in motion.
Provides exception for hands free devices and emergencies.
Status: Pending
Pennsylvania - House Bill 1375 - Mobile Telephones Prohibition
Purpose: Amends the Vehicles Code. Prohibits the operation of motor
vehicles while using electronic wireless communications devices.
Status: Pending
Pennsylvania - House Bill 2070 - Interactive Wireless Communication Devices
Purpose: Amends the Judiciary and Judicial Procedure Code and the
Vehicles Code. Further provides for Commonwealth portion of fines, etc.
and for municipal corporation portion of fines, etc.. Defines
interactive wireless communication device. Prohibits use of interactive
wireless communication device. Further provides for duty of driver in
construction and maintenance areas or on highway safety corridors, for
duty of driver in emergency response areas, for accident report forms,
for department to compile.
Status: Pending
Pennsylvania, The Latest State With Cell Phone e-Rumors
Pennsylvania became the latest state to have a e-Rumor circulating around the Internet. Other states like Florida and Texas have had similar rumors circulating about hands-free legislation and driving with a cell phone. This latest rumor, circulated by e-mail and internet forums claims it is illegal for drivers in Pennsylvania to use a handheld device.
As you can read below, Pennsylvania has legislation in the works for a hands free cell-phone law, however that legislation is still working it's way through the State Government legislative process.
Localities within Pennsylvania with Hands-Free Laws
Pennsylvania
is one of the states that allow localities to determine their own
hands-free driving laws. The localities that have their own hands-free driving laws in effect are listed below.
Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania
Lebanon, Pennsylvania