I see people every day who are looking at their phones going 70 MPH. As negligent as getting behind the wheel drunk.
IMO it’s considerably more negligent. A not too drunk is at least concentrated on the road and driving the best he can. Somebody texting or otherwise trying to operate their phone manually is completely distracted and by definition not paying attention to the road.
That said, I think banning talking on the phone, as such, while driving is idiotic. I see no way it’s any more distracting than conversing with a passenger.