| Cell Phone Driving Laws |
Crash
Data
Collected |
Preemption
Laws |
Handheld Ban |
Texting Ban |
All Cell Phone Ban |
Enforcement |
School Bus Drivers |
Novice Drivers |
| Yes |
|
|
|
Yes, w/ passenger <17 |
<18 in Learner or Intermediate Stage |
Primary |
| Child Passenger Safety Laws |
Child Restraint Required
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.) |
Adult seat belt Permissible
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.) |
Maximum Fine
First Offense |
<4 or <36" in child passenger safety system |
Not permissible |
$200 |
|
Drug Impaired Driving Laws |
Per Se Laws for Drugs
(Forbidding Prohibited Substances in
Driver's Body) |
DEC/DRE Programs
(Providing Law Enforcement Training) |
|
Yes |
| Drunk Driving Laws |
Admin. License
Suspension on
First Offense |
Limited Driving Privileges During Suspension |
Increased Penalties for High Blood Alc. Concentration (BAC) |
Open Container, Repeat Offender Laws |
Vehicle and License
Plate
Sanctions |
Ignition Interlocks |
Alcohol Exclusion Laws Limiting Treatment Opportunity |
| 90 days if .08 or greater; 180 days for refusal |
Yes |
.15 |
Both |
Vehicle Confiscation |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws |
Learner Stage |
Intermediate Stage |
Full Privilege
Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.) |
Required
Supervised
Driving (Hrs.)
(Nighttime hours in parenthesis) |
Special Cell
Phone Provisions |
Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.) |
Duration
(Mos.) |
Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.) |
Nighttime Driving Restriction |
Passenger
Restriction*
(* family members
exempt) |
15 |
6 |
16 |
Midnight - 5 a.m. |
No more than 1 pass. <21* |
16 / 6 |
none |
Drivers under 18 may not use a wireless handheld communication device in learner or intermediate stage. |
|
Mature Driver Laws |
General Population Length of
Renewal (Yrs.) |
Provisions for Mature Drivers |
|
6 |
Renewal every 2 years for >85; no renewal by mail for >79 |
| Seat Belt Laws |
Type of Law |
Who is Covered
(Yrs.) |
In What Seat |
Maximum Fine
First Offense |
| Primary |
<4 and <36" |
Child passenger safety system |
$200 |
| 5-16 |
All |
| >17 |
Front |
$50 |
|
Segway Laws |
Permitted on Sidewalks/Bicycle Paths |
Permitted on Roads |
Helmets Required |
Minimum Age |
Pedestrian Laws Apply
|
Sidewalks and bicycle paths |
Yes on streets up to 30 mph and if no sidewalks
available |
|
|
|
|
Sobriety Checkpoint Laws |
Checkpoints
Conducted? |
Comments |
|
No |
Illegal under
Texas' interpretation of federal Constitution |
|
Speed Limit Laws |
Rural Interstates |
Urban Interstates |
Other Limited
Access Roads |
Cars
(mph) |
Trucks
(mph) |
Cars
(mph) |
Trucks
(mph) |
Cars
(mph) |
Trucks
(mph) |
| 70 or 65 at night (daytime speed limit is 80 and 75 in some counties) |
70 or 65 at night |
70 or 65 at night |
65 |
70 or 65 at night (daytime speed limit is 75 in some counties) |
70 or 65 at night |
|
Speed and Red Light Cameras |
State Law |
Loca-
tion |
Viola-
tions |
Citation Issued to Whom |
Liability |
Image |
Tradi-
tional Enforce-
ment Penalties |
Records/ Points/ Penalties |
Defenses |
Privacy |
Prohibited—A Texas municipality may not use an automated traffic control system to enforce speed. |
| Permitted |
State-
wide; requires local ordi-
nance |
Red light |
Registered owner |
Owner |
2 or more photo or digital images of tag |
$200 max. fine |
$75 max. fine; not a criminal or record offense |
Not addres-
sed |
Not addres-
sed |
| Work Zone Speed Limit Laws |
Multiple of Original Fine |
Violations Affected |
Workers Must Be Present |
Double minimum and maximum applicable |
All moving vehicle violations |
Yes |
