Support in Senate for cellphone driving ban

Amid calls from the Obama administration and traffic safety advocates to ban texting and talking on hand-held cellphones while driving, Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) has thrown his support behind the effort -- a sign that the Senate could pass such legislation this year. The powerful chairman of the Commerce Committee has written a bill that would offer federal funds to states that enact laws against driving while texting or talking on a hand-held device. That incentive approach probably would have a better chance at passage than punitive legislation introduced in July by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) that would require states to ban texting while driving or risk losing federal highway funds. Rockefeller has scheduled a hearing on his proposal in two weeks.