Don’t Forget These Traffic Laws If You Are a Texas Driver

Texas has a plethora of misunderstood traffic laws. It’s not that people are outright ignoring them, it’s just that the lines of right and wrong are often blurred when hitting the Texas highways. Drivesafeonline.org goes more into detail on what laws are a bit fuzzy for Texas drivers:

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Texting and driving

We all know that you can’t legally text and drive, but the law is a little more complicated than that. You can still use hands-free mode, but absolutely no devices are allowed in a school zone.

Those with driving permits may not use any devices within six months of obtaining the permit. If you are under 18? No cell phone use at all, not even hands free.

Passing lanes

Another commonly-misunderstood law in Texas. You probably have noticed signs stating that the left lane is for passing only. Holding up traffic in the left lane can actually result in a fine of up to $200.

You can only pass a car on the right if they are making a left turn or if there are more than just the two lanes readily available.

Right of way

Texas law states that if two cars approach an intersection at once, the car on the right proceeds first. This means don’t book it after stopping just to beat the guy in the Tahoe next to you. Other than this situation, it’s the typical first-in-first-out protocol at intersections.

“Move Over” law

When you’re driving on the highway in Texas and see a poor sucker pulled over and the police car behind them has their lights on, you must do one of two things. Either you move over to the next available lane (even if the cop car is off to the shoulder and the lane is clear), or you slow down to 20 mph if there is no available lane.

Some rules differ from city to city, but most counties follow this general template of traffic laws.