EL PASO, Texas -- On Monday, the El Paso City Council passed an ordinance banning cell phone use unless you use a hands-free device with it in your car.

Starting April 1, if you want to talk on your cell phone, you have to have either a wired headset with a microphone, a wireless bluetooth device or a speaker phone system in your car.

"Over the last 10 years, I've watched the driving safety in this city deteriorate," said Bill Palmer, who spent 25 years in the Army focusing on safety. "When we all get in that vehicle, we would like to get where we're going. So the best way to get there is to practice proactive safety."

"It's going to be an impediment against our private business owners here in El Paso, being able to conduct their business, solely, basically by cell phones," said Larry Nance.

Nance also said cell phones are not the only distraction in a car.

"If you are going to ban the use of cell phones, you should ban the use of putting makeup on when you are driving, eating a hamburger while you're driving, using the radio or an iPod," Nance told KFOX.

"Where does it begin, and where does it end?" said Rep. Carl Robinson, who agreed with Nance.

He wondered about enforcement of the new ordinance.

"How do you police it? We don't have enough police officers to stand on the corner and say, 'Hey, that person is driving and using cell phone, I'm going to pull them over and give them a ticket," said Robinson.

"It's really obvious if you're holding a cell phone, if you're holding something in your hand, or if you're talking without using your hands, then I think that is going to be easy to enforce," said Rep. Rachel Quintana, who wrote the ordinance.

She made it clear to KFOX just how strict the new law is.

KFOX: "Can you still dial a phone number, and then drive?"

Quintana: "If the vehicle is moving, no, you shouldn't have the phone in your hand."

Quintana told KFOX the ordinance includes a ban on using GPS navigation and other applications on your phone. She said if you want to use your phone's applications or to make a call the old fashioned way, you have to pull over first or your car has to be stopped. The exception is if you are using your phone in an emergency.