The Tucson City Council approved 5-2 a new ban on using your cellphone while driving.

A push by Councilwoman Karin Uhlich radically increased the size of the fines over what had been initially proposed by the city staff. Councilmen Steve Kozachik and Richard Fimbres voted against the measure.

Under the ordinance passed Tuesday night, anyone caught using a cellphone without a hands-free device while driving will get a $250 fine for the first offense that doesn’t involve an accident, $500 for the second violation and any subsequent violation. The citations will be civil offenses.

The minimum fine for someone involved in a vehicle accident while using a cellphone will be $2,500.

The law, as written, would not allow officers to pull someone over just for using a cellphone while driving — making it a secondary offense.

Other than the size of the fines, the action by the City Council mirrors a near-identical hands-free ordinance passed by the Oro Valley Town Council several months ago.

The measure is scheduled to go into effect May 1.

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