With a stroke of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett's pen, the Keystone State became the 35th state to prohibit texting behind the wheel. The law signed by corbett takes effect in March 2012, and carries fines of $50 for violators.

Along with nearly three dozen states, the District of Columbia and Guam have now banned text messaging by all drivers. Nine states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have prohibited all hand-held cell phone use while driving.

In 2009, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood introduced a national anti-distracted driving campaign to combat the growing trend of dangerous distracted driving behavior in America. The U.S. DOT has a dedicated website, www.distraction.gov, to provide the public with a comprehensive source of information on distracted driving.

The Department has also hosted two national summits devoted to the issue, crafted sample legislation which states can use to adopt distracted driving laws, and initiated pilot law enforcement programs in Hartford, Conn., and Syracuse, N.Y., modeled after the Department's successful efforts to increase seatbelt use and curb drunk driving.