TPR Fun Fact | Texas Law & Rights Education | Explainer
Texas Allows Some Left Turns on Red. Here’s the Catch.
A left turn at a red light isn’t always illegal in Texas. Both streets must be one-way, and drivers must stop and yield before turning.
A left turn at a red light isn’t always illegal in Texas.
Under Texas Transportation Code §544.007(d), a driver facing only a steady red signal may turn left when both intersecting streets are one-way streets and the turn is otherwise permitted.
But the red light still requires a complete stop.
Drivers must stop at the marked stop line or, if none exists, before entering the near-side crosswalk. They must wait until it is safe to proceed and yield to pedestrians and lawful sidewalk users in an adjacent crosswalk, as well as other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
Three important limitations
- Both streets must be one-way.
- A posted prohibition overrides the exception.
- The exception does not authorize a left turn on red from a two-way street onto a one-way street.
The law also protects lawful sidewalk users, including certain people using bicycles, scooters and other devices. Senate Bill 2039 added the sidewalk-user definition and updated the signal law, effective September 1, 2025.
The takeaway: In Texas, a red light does not always prohibit a left turn. But the street configuration, posted signs and right-of-way rules determine whether the turn is legal.
Sources
- Texas Transportation Code §544.007(d), (f) — stopping, yielding, permitted turns and posted prohibitions
- Texas Legislature — S.B. 2039, §§1–2, 8 — sidewalk-user definition, signal-law amendment and September 1, 2025 effective date
Verified through November 4, 2026.
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