The city of Surprise approved a law Tuesday night that bans using a mobile device while driving in most cases. A violation could result in a fine of up to $250, along with penalties other laws may allow.

The law goes into effect on Sept.  6.

The ban, however, doesn’t include hands-free use or calling for emergency help.

The state of Arizona has laws against reckless driving, but the new law is still needed, according Surprise Police Department spokesman Tim Klarkowski.

He said the way the state’s reckless driving laws are written “can be somewhat subjective and somewhat difficult to prove, necessarily, in court. There are a lot of different factors at play into the reckless driving laws.”

A ban on using mobile devices while driving, meanwhile, is clear and specific.

Klarkowski said the ban will help Surprise to educate drivers, with enforcement acting as a “backup.”

Two-way radio communication is also still allowed, provided the vehicle is operated safely. 

The state of Arizona does not ban texting while driving, although it recently restricted it for teen drivers. Other cities in the state have texting-while-driving bans.