The federal government is giving money to California to crack down on hand-held cell phone use and texting while driving. 

The name of the pilot program is "Phone in one hand, ticket in the other." A combination of commercials and officer patrols will start in the fall in the Sacramento Region. 

National Highway Transportation Safety Administrator David Strickland says three thousand people died nationwide last year in crashes where distracted driving was a factor.

STRICKLAND: "This is something we should not be dealing with, yet as we see more and more digital devices and more of a digital lifestyle integrating with the task of driving, we still have to make sure that we keep people focused on that task -which is to drive."

Strickland was in downtown Sacramento to announce a $1.5 million grant to the region for the program.