What In The World Is The New "No Touch" Law In New York State?

A viral claim about a new “no-touch” phone law in New York has drivers confused. Here’s what’s true, what’s not, and what New Yorkers still need to know.

Last month, our friends at The New 96.1 wrote about a new "no-touch" law in New York State. Hudson Valley Post learned more about this new law that went into effect on June 5.

Viral Claims Started Because Of New Pennsylvania Law

Canva

Viral claims began circulating on social media about this new law. The posts claimed that these "no touch" laws went into effect in 31 states, including New York on Thursday, June 5.

Snopes says that's "mostly false." Although Snopes confirms that there is some truth to these claims.

A "no-touch law" did go into effect in Pennsylvania on that date. The new law makes it illegal to use a hand-held cell phone while driving, "even while stopped temporarily due to traffic, a red light, or other momentary delay," in the state of Pennsylvania.

Canva

The law is called "Paul Miller's Law" in honor of Paul Miller, who was killed in a 2010 crash with a tractor-trailer when the driver reached for their phone while driving. PA officials say that since his death, Paul’s mother, Eileen Miller, has become a national advocate for stronger laws to curb distracted driving.

Snopes says the claims are "mostly false" because the other states already have such laws.

New York State Cell Phone Law

In New York State, you can't use a phone or portable electronic device while you drive.

Canva

Officials say it's illegal to hold a phone or portable electronic device and do any of the following

Talk on a handheld mobile telephone
Compose, send, read, access, browse, transmit, save, or retrieve electronic data such as e-mail, text messages, or webpages
Viewing, taking or transmitting images
Play games

Below are the penalties in New York if you are ticketed for distracted driving.

Price You'll Pay If Caught Texting/Talking While Driving In New York

For all the news that the Hudson Valley is sharing, make sure to follow Hudson Valley Post on Facebook, and download the Hudson Valley Post Mobile App

The surcharge for all violations can be up to $93.

LOOK: Best Counties to Raise a Family in New York

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to raise a family in New York.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

The 10 Tiniest Counties in Upstate New York By Size

The 10 Tiniest Counties in Upstate New York By Size!

New York State is big, wide, vast, and beautiful. This gallery looks at the smallest of Upstate New York's counties.

Remembering that there are 62 counties in the Empire State, the very smallest ones are the boroughs of New York City, where their size can be counted in blocks an neighborhoods. But in the counties of Upstate NY we see a wide variety of land sizes.

This gallery looks at the ten smallest, but just step back a moment and put it all in perspective. Yes, these are small ones, but we also have some counties in Upstate NY that are gargantuan in size.

This is a fun piece of trivia. The smallest state in the United States (by land) is Rhode Island with just 1,214 square miles to it. And...there are 18 counties in Upstate NY that are largest than that whole state!

Do you live in one of the smallest counties in our state?