Pa.s new distracted driving law requires collection of drivers race data in police stops [Video]

A provision in Pennsylvania’s new law banning hand-held cell phones while driving will require that many police agencies collect data on the race of drivers in traffic stops in an effort to improve transparency.

The Pennsylvania State Police and law enforcement agencies in communities of more than 5,000 people will record data at traffic stops, including a driver’s race, and publish an annual report analyzing the data. The requirement, which goes into effect in December 2025, was a priority of the 38-member Black Legislative Caucus.

“Having this report helps us make the argument beyond anecdotal stories about why some of the reforms that we’ve been advocating for for years are necessary,” said Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Philadelphia, a former Black Caucus chair who pushed for the amendment.