Texas Divided Highway Intersection Traffic Laws
- Divided highways are typically separated by a median or barrier.highway image by Ekaterina Sidorenko from Fotolia.com
Because traffic laws vary from state to state, it is important to know each state's particular guidelines if you plan to drive there. If you are driving or planning to drive in the state of Texas, for instance, you will want to know its laws governing divided highways and intersections beforehand. - Divided highways, where multi-directional traffic is separated by a barrier, are easy to identify in Texas. Before a divided highway begins or ends, you will see a yellow warning sign that notifies you of this fact.
If you need to cross over to the other side of a divided highway, look for a green crossover sign with an arrow indicating the designated place to cross to the other side of the divider. - You will need to know Texas law on yielding the right-of-way at intersections on divided highways.
When driving on a single or two-lane road, you must always yield to vehicles traveling on a divided street or roadway.
When driving on a road divided into three or more lanes with traffic moving in one direction, a vehicle entering a lane of traffic from the right must always yield to a vehicle entering the same lane from the left. - In Texas, divided-lane super highways are referred to as "freeways." In other areas, freeways may be known as toll roads, throughways, turnpikes or express roads.
Texas defines a freeway as "a divided arterial highway with full control of access and with no crossings at grade."
When entering a freeway, you must always yield the right-of-way to vehicles already on the freeway.
If you wish to drive on the freeway at the minimum speed limit or slower than the normal flow of traffic, drive in the right-hand lane. Use the middle or left-hand lane if you are traveling faster than normal traffic.
