News

Distracted driving citations in Pennsylvania see significant jump

News Article

April 02, 2018

Distracted driving citations increased by 52 percent statewide in 2017 – and have increased 172 percent since 2013. In Pennsylvania all drivers are prohibited from texting while driving, which includes sending, reading or writing a text-based message or e-mail, and from wearing or using headphones or earphones while the car is in motion.

Data is based on the following state law: Title 75, sections 1621, 1622, 3316 (texting), and 3314 (headphones). The infographic below highlights key data and demographics about distracted drivers in Pennsylvania. Or download a high-resolution file of the graphic.

County-specific data is available at the end of the news release.

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PA Courts InfoShare is a monthly product of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) that visually highlights the work of the courts with interesting data and statistics obtained through the judiciary’s case management systems, interactive dashboards and other research. Reproduction is encouraged with source cited.

 

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Media contact:   Kim Bathgate, 717-231-3331

 

Editor’s Note:

County-specific distracted driving data

Statewide Count of distracted driving offenses filed from 1/1/2013 through 12/31/2017; Grouped by County and Offense

County / Offense

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Grand Total

Adams

16

18

26

26

45

131

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

2

2

1

5

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

3

0

3314 Use Headphones

3

3

6

6

19

37

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

13

15

18

18

22

86

Allegheny

165

176

235

316

383

1,275

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

5

10

16

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

13

55

66

61

195

3314 Use Headphones

32

34

35

19

17

137

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

133

129

144

226

295

927

Armstrong

10

6

11

7

13

47

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

3

2

0

0

1

6

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

7

4

11

7

12

41

Beaver

10

10

22

12

38

92

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

2

2

4

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

3

0

7

10

3314 Use Headphones

3

2

1

3

7

16

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

7

8

18

7

22

62

Bedford

14

21

24

26

28

113

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

1

0

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

12

7

19

3314 Use Headphones

8

19

11

2

9

49

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

6

2

12

11

12

43

Berks

55

87

132

117

198

589

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

7

3

11

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone - Commercial Motor Vehicle

0

0

29

13

27

69

3314 Use Headphones

22

42

38

37

55

194

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

33

45

64

60

113

315

Blair

9

12

18

34

18

91

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

2

1

1

1

5

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone - Commercial Motor Vehicle

0

0

0

0

4

4

3314 Use Headphones

0

3

4

3

4

14

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

9

7

13

30

9

68

Bradford

5

11

10

12

11

49

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

1

1

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

1

0

1

2

3314 Use Headphones

2

6

1

3

0

12

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

3

5

8

9

9

34

Bucks

113

117

183

152

294

859

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

1

3

6

17

27

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

19

50

31

49

149

3314 Use Headphones

37

42

55

36

67

237

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

76

55

75

79

161

446

Butler

20

12

43

45

51

171

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

3

3

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

14

10

8

32

3314 Use Headphones

7

2

6

10

10

35

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

13

10

23

25

30

101

Cambria

13

19

17

17

15

81

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

0

0

1

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

2

4

3

9

3314 Use Headphones

3

1

3

1

1

9

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

10

18

11

12

11

62

Cameron

2

0

0

3

2

7

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

0

0

0

0

0

0

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

2

0

0

3

2

7

Carbon

6

13

16

19

30

84

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

2

0

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

1

8

9

3314 Use Headphones

5

6

12

12

14

49

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

1

7

4

4

8

24

Centre

46

92

55

29

39

261

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone - Commercial Motor Vehicle

0

0

1

0

1

2

3314 Use Headphones

5

14

7

5

11

42

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

41

78

47

24

27

217

Chester

120

130

166

208

339

963

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

2

2

10

14

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

10

55

45

46

156

3314 Use Headphones

37

45

28

41

65

216

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

83

75

81

120

218

577

Clarion

9

5

17

15

42

88

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

1

1

3

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

9

9

3314 Use Headphones

5

3

8

11

10

37

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

4

2

8

3

22

39

Clearfield

15

17

18

16

17

83

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

2

0

0

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

1

0

1

3314 Use Headphones

3

9

8

3

5

28

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

12

8

8

12

12

52

Clinton

5

5

10

12

31

63

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

2

2

3314 Use Headphones

4

4

7

7

21

43

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

1

1

3

5

8

18

Columbia

8

16

19

36

59

138

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

1

1

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

1

0

3

4

3314 Use Headphones

4

8

14

28

47

101

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

4

8

4

7

8

31

Crawford

2

5

18

21

22

68

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

1

0

2

2

5

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

2

7

12

8

29

3314 Use Headphones

1

0

2

0

0

3

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

1

2

9

7

12

31

Cumberland

39

63

119

179

220

620

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

1

6

6

12

25

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

2

31

56

64

153

3314 Use Headphones

17

24

36

48

39

164

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

22

36

46

69

105

278

Dauphin

45

55

68

70

86

324

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

4

7

11

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone - Commercial Motor Vehicle

0

0

6

2

6

14

3314 Use Headphones

12

24

22

26

15

99

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

33

31

40

38

58

200

Delaware

80

128

116

127

208

659

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

3

1

3

7

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

1

0

11

9

21

3314 Use Headphones

17

28

20

33

53

151

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

63

99

93

82

143

480

Elk

1

1

1

2

11

16

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

0

0

1

0

1

2

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

1

1

0

2

10

14

Erie

27

13

30

32

74

176

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

4

5

9

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

2

5

25

32

3314 Use Headphones

7

4

2

4

8

25

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

20

9

26

19

36

110

Fayette

11

17

17

13

34

92

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

2

0

0

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

2

2

1

2

1

8

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

9

15

14

11

33

82

Forest

0

2

0

1

4

7

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

0

0

0

1

0

1

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

0

2

0

0

4

6

Franklin

28

20

30

46

72

196

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

2

1

5

8

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

1

9

6

33

49

3314 Use Headphones

5

1

6

14

17

43

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

23

18

13

25

17

96

Fulton

4

13

10

7

10

44

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

1

0

1

3314 Use Headphones

4

10

9

3

6

32

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

0

3

1

3

4

11

Greene

6

2

8

8

11

35

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

1

1

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

1

3

4

3314 Use Headphones

1

0

1

0

0

2

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

5

2

7

6

7

27

Huntingdon

1

4

5

12

13

35

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

2

0

2

3314 Use Headphones

1

1

1

2

2

7

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

0

3

4

8

11

26

Indiana

9

8

10

22

23

72

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

1

0

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

1

4

4

9

3314 Use Headphones

1

1

4

2

4

12

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

8

7

4

15

15

49

Jefferson

3

7

3

8

42

63

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

1

1

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

0

3

2

3

4

12

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

3

4

1

5

37

50

Juniata

4

4

14

9

7

38

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

0

0

1

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

2

1

6

2

3

14

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

2

3

7

7

4

23

Lackawanna

19

32

115

86

121

373

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

1

1

1

4

7

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

2

29

16

25

72

3314 Use Headphones

5

11

37

28

42

123

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

14

18

48

41

50

171

Lancaster

54

54

122

116

244

590

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

4

9

14

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

2

22

21

38

83

3314 Use Headphones

14

23

46

29

45

157

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

40

29

53

62

152

336

Lawrence

12

11

16

12

42

93

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

4

4

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

1

0

2

5

8

3314 Use Headphones

2

2

0

3

3

10

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

10

8

16

7

30

71

Lebanon

18

23

22

28

49

140

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

1

1

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

2

12

14

3314 Use Headphones

5

5

5

8

9

32

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

13

18

17

18

27

93

Lehigh

49

62

73

93

220

497

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

2

3

6

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

22

27

26

75

3314 Use Headphones

18

31

29

16

58

152

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

31

31

21

48

133

264

Luzerne

42

40

57

53

84

276

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

5

5

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

1

1

2

2

6

3314 Use Headphones

21

21

32

12

22

108

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

21

18

24

39

55

157

Lycoming

26

12

18

18

27

101

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

1

1

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

1

0

1

3314 Use Headphones

7

1

6

3

5

22

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

19

11

12

14

21

77

McKean

1

2

2

2

6

13

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

0

0

1

1

2

4

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

1

2

1

1

4

9

Mercer

6

12

15

17

33

83

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

1

2

3

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

3

4

4

10

21

3314 Use Headphones

0

4

4

1

5

14

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

6

5

7

11

16

45

Mifflin

6

7

4

8

7

32

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

2

2

3314 Use Headphones

1

2

3

5

2

13

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

5

5

1

3

3

17

Monroe

25

33

42

63

45

208

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

1

7

9

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

2

10

2

14

3314 Use Headphones

10

13

16

31

21

91

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

15

20

23

21

15

94

Montgomery

175

223

298

379

620

1,695

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

16

30

47

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

4

32

41

113

190

3314 Use Headphones

42

63

74

75

89

343

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

133

156

191

247

388

1,115

Montour

1

3

8

1

5

18

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

5

0

2

7

3314 Use Headphones

0

3

1

0

0

4

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

1

0

2

1

3

7

Northampton

32

48

71

78

219

448

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

2

4

2

8

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

2

21

15

26

64

3314 Use Headphones

13

23

16

17

43

112

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

19

23

32

42

148

264

Northumberland

9

8

17

21

23

78

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

4

1

4

9

3314 Use Headphones

0

0

3

1

1

5

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

9

8

10

19

18

64

Perry

10

6

8

4

17

45

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

1

0

1

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

3

3

2

1

10

19

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

7

3

5

3

6

24

Phildelphia

195

197

242

216

216

1,066

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone - Commercial Motor Vehicle

0

0

4

23

4

31

3314 Use Headphones

50

58

68

38

29

243

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

145

139

170

155

183

792

Pike

6

9

8

16

23

62

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

1

3

4

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

5

2

7

3314 Use Headphones

1

4

1

5

5

16

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

5

5

7

5

13

35

Potter

9

4

7

17

28

65

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

2

1

3

3314 Use Headphones

0

0

0

1

2

3

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

9

4

7

14

25

59

Schuylkill

6

12

16

22

31

87

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

1

0

1

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

1

0

2

3

3314 Use Headphones

2

3

3

1

8

17

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

4

9

12

20

21

66

Snyder

10

7

30

19

30

96

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

1

1

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

19

7

4

30

3314 Use Headphones

1

3

2

1

4

11

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

9

4

9

10

21

53

Somerset

11

14

12

6

28

71

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

4

6

10

3314 Use Headphones

4

6

3

0

7

20

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

7

8

9

2

15

41

Sullivan

0

1

2

4

3

10

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

2

0

2

3314 Use Headphones

0

1

1

1

1

4

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

0

0

1

1

2

4

Susquehanna

9

7

10

15

37

78

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

2

3

5

3314 Use Headphones

8

7

10

8

30

63

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

1

0

0

5

4

10

Tioga

5

7

7

6

11

36

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

2

1

0

3

3314 Use Headphones

3

4

2

3

2

14

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

2

3

3

2

9

19

Union

7

9

10

8

6

40

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

3

0

0

3

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

2

4

2

8

3314 Use Headphones

5

4

2

0

1

12

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

2

5

3

4

3

17

Venango

13

5

21

7

21

67

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

2

0

2

4

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

12

1

1

14

3314 Use Headphones

3

3

2

0

5

13

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

10

2

5

6

13

36

Warren

4

3

10

8

5

30

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

0

0

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

2

1

1

4

3314 Use Headphones

0

1

0

0

0

1

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

4

2

8

7

4

25

Washington

42

43

59

58

79

281

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

3

1

1

5

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

16

9

8

33

3314 Use Headphones

3

4

2

8

5

22

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

39

39

38

40

65

221

Wayne

3

8

3

7

9

30

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

2

0

2

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

2

2

3314 Use Headphones

1

5

1

2

1

10

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

2

3

2

3

6

16

Westmoreland

51

53

75

71

74

324

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

1

1

2

4

8

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

1

5

12

13

31

3314 Use Headphones

18

20

10

10

8

66

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

33

31

59

47

49

219

Wyoming

4

1

5

6

10

26

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

0

0

1

1

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

0

0

0

0

0

3314 Use Headphones

0

0

0

0

2

2

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

4

1

5

6

7

23

York

97

130

223

212

191

853

1621 Texting While Driving - Prohibition

0

0

3

7

3

13

1622 Handheld Mobile Telephone

0

3

19

14

22

58

3314 Use Headphones

23

37

36

41

50

187

3316 Prohibiting text-based communications

74

90

165

150

116

595

Grand Total

1,858

2,195

3,099

3,336

5,054

15,542

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