I acknowledge we all have differing opinions and I respect those opinions so I'll chime in with my 2¢ worth:
I agree that texting while driving should be illegal...but it absolutely must be up to each state to decide, not the Feds. Thankfully the NTSB's recommendation is just that, they have no power of enforcement.
In my own experience was hit and injured by an otherwise decent kid who ran a red light and t-boned me. He admitted to texting and was completely distracted and took his eyes off the road for way too long. I supported a ban before I was hit, so my support is not a reaction to that accident. However, how many of us who had a loved one severely injured, disabled or killed by someone who was texting would support the ban and with the same fervor as if it were DWI? Hard to say.
The fact is- a lot of business is conducted in the car, whether by phone or radio. It's the current reality and trying to severely restrict or ban it is a bad idea. I DO NOT agree on banning the mobile use of cell phones, 2 way radios, etc. I'm 57 yrs old and have been driving safely for over 40 years with radios in my vehicle almost all those years. Common sense goes a long way. Most of us can talk on a microphone or cell phone with little or no distraction. There are always a few who cannot, but most of us can. Hey I could be wrong but that's my observation over the last 41 years of driving.
Personally, I use hands-free bluetooth whenever possible. Does it help keep me from being distracted? I think so but I have no scientific data to support or prove it. That's my rant. Thanks for reading.