Alarmed by the number of motorists staring at their screens instead of the road, lawmakers are proposing to make Michigan the 15th state to ban driving while holding a hand-held phone.
Police and safety advocates say the current prohibition against texting and driving is outdated, vague and difficult to enforce.
To save lives, they contend, a blanket ban on hand-held devices should be considered - with exceptions for hands-free technology.
Nearly 12,800 crashes in Michigan last year involved distracted driving, a 70 percent spike from 2015.
A House committee held an initial hearing on the bill this past week and will meet again May 30. The measure would overhaul and stiffen the state's 2010 law that makes texting and driving a civil infraction.
