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You shouldn't text and drive. PERIOD! There's no getting around that. If you need more reason than the safety of yourself and others, a number of states have harsh penalties for texting while driving, and this map will show you how much your state can fine you (or in some cases, how long you can be imprisoned) if you do.
By far, Alaska has the strongest penalty: Up to $10,000 and a year in prison for the first offense. California has the smallest minimum fine—only $20 per offense. Four states: Arizona, Montana, South Dakota, and South Carolina, have no bans or penalties for texting while driving whatsoever. The national median is $100, and many states scale the dollar amounts and penalties up from there.
The map above will give you some insight into how things are where you live. There's more, including a larger version of the full chart below and some other nationwide statistics that hammer home why you shouldn't text while driving .