Distracted driving citations rise in Pennsylvania

Distracted driving has become a hot topic among safety advocates, law enforcement agencies, lawmakers and drivers alike across the United States over the past 15 years. This has happened as cell phones have gone from being something new and used by only a small percentage of the population to being something that virtually everyone has with them at all times. While many states have made the move to enact laws banning the handheld use of phones while driving entirely, Pennsylvania has not done so.

The decision by the state of Pennsylvania lawmakers to allow drivers to use their phones in a manual mode while actively behind the wheel may not be popular among everyone but it is the law. That, however, has not completely stemmed the tide of people breaking what laws are in place regarding distracted driving.

As reported by York Daily Record, Pennsylvania law does outline sending or receiving text messages while driving as illegal. A driver can be ticketed for doing this. According to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, nearly 18,500 drivers have been cited for texting while driving or for wearing headphones while driving across the state in the last five years. That is an increase by 118% since 2014.

Records show that seven out of 10 drivers ticketed were male and a majority of the cited drivers were in their 20s. Montgomery County recorded the most number of distracted driving citations in the last five years with almost 2,100 total tickets given. People who are involved in accidents involving a distracted driver might want to talk with an attorney about how to seek compensation.