New York, Oct. 28 A whopping 97 percent Americans believe that texting while driving should be made illegal, a new poll has found.

Just one percent thinks the practice should be legal.

According to the CBS News/New York Times survey, both men and women, frequent drivers and those who drive less frequently, and Americans from all regions of the country agree that texting while driving should be illegal.

Earlier this month, President Barack Obama signed a legislation banning federal employees from text messaging while driving.

Currently, texting while driving is banned in 18 states of America.

On the question of punishment for those found texting while driving, 52 percent said the punishment should match the punishment for drunk driving.

Forty-four percent say the punishment should be less severe, and two percent say it should be more severe.

Americans over the age of 45 are more likely to favour harsher punishments for texting and driving than younger Americans, the poll found.

More than two in three Americans say driving and talking a hands-free cell phone is safer than talking on a hand-held phone.

Twenty-eight percent say the level of safety in both situations is the same.

Driving while talking on a cell phone is illegal in seven states. (ANI)