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Whether you’re a new driver or a seasoned one, there can be elements of driving that you’ve never learned…or even just forgotten! It’s okay, and it happens to the best of us.
Perhaps one of the things you’ve forgotten is what sorts of turns are—and aren’t—allowed when it comes to driving in Texas. Even if you’re a very safe driver, and you’ve never gotten into an accident, it can be good to get a refresher on the rules.
Read on to learn more about what is considered improper turns in Texas.
Improper Turns in Texas
The following are improper turns according to Texas law. An improper turn is an illegal turn. This can happen when drivers make turns abruptly without signaling or fail to pay attention to their surroundings when they turn.
Drivers can suffer fines or receive tickets if they perform unsafe or improper turns.
Don’t let this be you! You don’t want to have to deal with the time, money, and hassle necessary for dealing with a ticket.
To save yourself the stress, read on to learn about which turns are considered improper according to Texas law.
Wide Right Turn
A wide right turn is what happens when you try to make a turn from the second-to-right lane when it’s not labeled.
In Texas, you must only make right turns from the far-rightmost lane. A wide right turn is a right turn from any other lane.
When it comes to wide right turns, don’t do it! Only make right turns from the lane that is furthest to the right. According to the Texas transportation code (chapter 545, section 101), “to make a right turn at an intersection, an operator shall make both the approach and the turn as closely as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.”
There is an exception to this law. The exception is that if you have a trailer, you are not allowed to take the turn unless you move a lane over.
Thus, if you have a trailer, you’re exempt from the Wide Right Turn restriction.
Now that you know that wide right turns count as improper turns, here’s one you might not yet know…there’s an improper turn related to your turn signals.
Turn Signals
When it comes to activating your turn signals, it can feel habitual. You make a right turn, you turn right. You make a left turn, you turn left.
However, depending on how thoughtlessly you use your turn signals, you might be performing an improper turn! The truth of the matter is that you may not signal to turn (right or left) once you are at the intersection.
In fact, according to the Texas transportation code (section 104), you are required to signal your intent to turn at least 100 feet before initiating the turn. This means that, in most cases, you must signal your intention long before you enter the intersection.
However, do keep in mind that this is only applicable to turning. If you are only changing lanes, no law states how long you must wait between activating your turn signal and changing lanes.
Now that you know, you can activate your turn signals with enough time to avoid a ticket…but what about those turns that are more likely to be illegal, like U-turns?
U-Turns
Unlike other states and places in the world, U-turns are legal in Texas. The only law is that, when making a U-turn, drivers must be able to see at least 500 feet in the direction of oncoming traffic.
However, if there is a “no U-turn” sign posted, a U-turn is illegal. No exceptions.
The following improper turn comes off as one that should have no exceptions, so it should be obvious to you. That’s turning left on a red light.
Left On Red
Ninety-nine percent of the time, no matter where you are, it is illegal to make a left turn when the light is red. However, in Texas, there is a bit of an exception.
In Texas, a left turn on red is allowed when the street you are on is one-way and the street you are turning onto is also one-way. This is allowed because there is no risk of running into oncoming traffic.
The turn that seems most obvious for everyone—and perhaps one of the safest turns—is that of the right turn on a red light.
Right On Red
Most laws say that it’s alright to make right turns at any time—even if the light is red.
This is, of course, assuming that no oncoming or opposing traffic would lead to a car crash.
When it comes to Texas, the law is no different. You may turn right when you’re stopped at a red light from the rightmost lane (or second to right lane unless otherwise specified).
Make sure you come to a complete stop before you start your turn, and always make sure to stop and give pedestrians the right of way. Even if they’re in the wrong, you must still give them the right of way.
At the end of the day, there are a number of turns that are illegal, and there are sure to be more that you might come across. It’s simplest to think that an improper turn is one that is unsafe.
Unsafe Turn
This may seem obvious, but even the most obvious things benefit from having a reminder once or twice.
If a turn is ever unsafe, or if it seems as if you might put yourself in danger by performing the turn, it is known as an improper turn.
In Texas, it’s stated as follows: “No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.”
To make this make sense in more human terms, you must only move the vehicle you’re driving differently if it’s safe to do so.
What happens if you forget any of this and receive a ticket?
Have You Received a Ticket For An Improper Turn?
There are so many rules you have to keep in mind when it comes to driving. Because there are so many, it can be easy to forget some of them and fall into a routine.
You may not even realize you’re breaking laws!
However, the cops and highway patrol will know if you’ve broken the law, and they will be quick to give you a ticket.
If this has happened to you and you’ve received an improper turn ticket in Texas, not all is lost. You can hire an attorney to fight your case through the WinIt app.
