Instituting a ban on texting while driving would nudge Florida one step closer to safer roads — and save lives.

Distracted driving costs lives and shatters families. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5,474 people were killed on U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving in 2009.

The state Senate Transportation Committee this week unanimously approved legislation, proposed by Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, to restrict drivers from Tweeting or text messaging while on the road. That’s a start. Unfortunately, the legislation says nothing about dialing, using a phone’s GPS as a roadmap, talking on a handheld or texting while stopped at a red light.

Why absolve these other forms of distracted driving, which carry the same life-threatening consequences?

Florida is among 15 holdout states that don’t have a ban on texting while driving. The proposed ban would count as a secondary offense, meaning that it could only be issued as a consequence of another traffic infraction, such as speeding or after a crash.

Distracted driving, which has proven to be as dangerous as drunk driving, should be strictly policed and the punishment comparable to a DUI offense.

Other bills before the Florida Legislature would limit the ban on texting and driving to minors and bus drivers. The law should apply to everyone. Even the most experienced driver can fall victim to focusing on a small screen instead of the road.

Another bill would require traffic school courses to include a segment on the dangers of distracted driving. Good.

The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that states ban all cell phone use while driving — even hands-free devices. Bold move, but despite the findings of some studies it’s difficult for most drivers to grasp the difference between driving and chatting with a passenger versus driving and chatting on a Bluetooth or speaker with both hands on the wheel.

It shouldn’t require a law to dictate common sense. But sometimes a law is needed to provoke positive societal changes (think drunk driving campaigns). Drivers should heed the message: that text or call can wait until you park.