Tennessee law says that texting while driving is illegal. The law specifically states: “No person while driving a motor vehicle on any public road or highway shall use a hand-held mobile telephone or a hand-held personal digital assistant to transmit or read a written message…”  The law does allow the driver to “read, select, or enter a telephone number or name in a hand-held mobile telephone or a personal digital assistant for the purpose of making or receiving a telephone call.”