It's Like a Whole 'Nother Country

You don't exactly drive on the left side of the road in Texas, but that slogan, "It's like a whole 'nother country," does hold true when it comes to traffic law in Texas. Here are some things that you're going to need to know if you want to keep a clean Texas driving record:

No Lefts on Red

In some states, you can turn left on a red light in very specific circumstances. If the intersecting streets are both one way and a left turn is permissible, you can legally and safely make a left in many states. This is advanced driver knowledge, the kind of thing that we do to impress (or frighten) our friends, and it does not apply in Texas. Make a left on a red in Texas and you're going to get a ticket or possibly lose your license.

Left to Right Right-of-Way

If you're in heavy traffic and you see a spot in the center lane, you'd better not try to take it if you see someone from the left lane going for it at the same time. If you're on a highway three three or more lanes and two drivers are going for the same spot, the person coming in from the left has the right-of-way. If you're moving from right to left, you have to yield. If you're going left, it's just good Texas defensive driving to only take a spot when it's totally clear, anyways.

A Texas Highway is Any Public Roadway

In Texas, "highway" is a broad legal term that refers to all public roadways. So if you're reading your DMV and find out that you can't do something "on the highway," don't assume that it's legal to do it on the street in front of your house.

Keeping your Texas driving record clean may sound tricky, but with a Texas defensive driving class and a little practice, you should have no problem. Most of it does come down to common sense, and if you're a good driver in California or Nevada or Florida, then you'll find it easy to be a good driver in the Lone Star State, as well.

texas traffic laws