I just read this: in Utah, if you have an accident because you were texting behind the wheel, it is classified as negligence and you get up to 15 years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/te...pagewanted=all

For once, a piece of legislation that both parties can (probably) agree on as a good idea. If someone kills a family because he was busy texting at 50 mph instead of paying attention, he deserves more than just a fine and a suspension of his drivers license.

It is already illegal here, but I don't know how severly it influences the decisino of the judge.