9 New Laws that Texas Drivers need to Know Now
The Angleton personal injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC note that as of September 1st, over 600 new laws are in effect in Texas. Some of the most important ones relating to Texas drivers include:
- One new law provides that paramedics will be authorized to perform blood draws at an accident scene if asked by law enforcement officers who believe that alcohol played a factor in a crash.
- Another new law, HB 347, expands the limitations on cell phone use in an active school crossing zone to include the property of public elementary, middle, or junior high schools where local authorities have designated a school crossing zone. The limitations on cell phone use do not apply to vehicles that are stopped or to drivers using a hands-free device to make calls to emergency services. Our Angleton personal injury lawyers also mention that the limitations do not apply outside the times when reduced speed limits are in effect for school crossing zones.
- Fines have been increased under HB 1174 for the offense of passing a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading children. Minimum fines increase to $500; maximum fines go up to $1,250; and fines for repeat offenders are $1,000 to $2,000.
- The Angleton personal injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC have already written about the new law, SB 510, that requires drivers to move over or slow down when approaching stationary TxDOT vehicles with their lights flashing. Click the link to read about the new TxDOT worker expansion to the Texas “move over” law.
- HB 2304 expands the authority of sheriffs and deputies to enforce federal commercial motor vehicle regulations from communities of 2.2 million or above to communities of 1 million or above. This means that Bexar, Travis, and Tarrant counties could now see improved and expanded enforcement efforts against noncompliant commercial trucks and buses.
- Texas legislators, who had failed to set a penalty for violating the requirement that a vehicle display two license plates (front and back), have now rectified that oversight and added a fine of up to $200 for violating that law.
- One new law against hit and run driving, HB 3668, requires a driver involved in an accident that results in or is reasonably likely to result in injury or death to immediately determine if another person is involved in the accident and if so, whether they require aid.
- Another law, SB 275, aimed at hit and run driving increases the penalty for failing to stop and render aid and for fleeing the scene of a fatal accident from a 3rd-degree felony with up to 10 years in prison to a 2nd-degree felony with up to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000.
- And our Angleton personal injury lawyers want to at least mention one new law that could actually benefit drivers. That law is SB 181, which now allows you to present proof of insurance on your cell phone or wireless device.
