OPERATION OF VEHICLES GENERALLY

Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 45, art. II

in effect

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-36 Markers, buttons, or signs indicating course to be travelled in turning at intersections.

Sec. 45-36. - Markers, buttons, or signs indicating course to be travelled in turning at intersections. (a) The traffic engineer is authorized to place markers, buttons, or signs within or adjacent to intersections indicating the course to be travelled by vehicles turning at such intersections, and such course to be travelled as so indicated may conform to or be other than as prescribed by this article. (b) When authorized markers, buttons, signs, or other indications are placed within an intersection indicating the course to be travelled by vehicles turning thereat, no driver of a vehicle shall disobey the directions of such indications. (Code 1968, § 46-48)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-37 Prohibited turns at intersections; U-turns.

Sec. 45-37. - Prohibited turns at intersections; U-turns. (a) The traffic engineer is hereby authorized to determine those intersections at which drivers of vehicles shall not make a right, left, or U-turn, and shall place proper signs at such intersections. The making of such turns may be prohibited between certain hours of any day and permitted at other hours, in which event the same shall be plainly indicated on the signs, or they may be removed when such turns are permitted. Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating that no right or left or U-turn is permitted, no driver of a vehicle shall disobey the directions of any such sign. (b) The driver of any vehicle shall not turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction (U-turn) at any intersection where such turns are prohibited by official signs or markings. The driver of any vehicle shall not so turn a vehicle unless such movement can be made in safety and without interfering with other traffic, and then only where a roadway is crossed or makes intersection with another roadway, or on a divided highway, where an official opening in the physical barrier or dividing section has been established by public authority. (Code 1968, § 46-49; Ord. No. 99-500, § 1, 5-26-99)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-38 Turning from or into alley or private driveway.

Sec. 45-38. - Turning from or into alley or private driveway. (a) Any vehicle emerging from an alley or private driveway onto a two-way street or turning into an alley or private driveway from a two-way street in a business district shall proceed straight ahead or make a right turn and it shall be unlawful to turn left or into such alley or driveway. (b) Any vehicle emerging from an alley or private driveway onto a one-way street shall proceed straight ahead or turn only in the direction of the designated flow of traffic on the one-way street being entered. (Code 1968, § 46-51)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-39 Through streets and stop intersections.

Sec. 45-39. - Through streets and stop intersections. (a) Those streets or parts of streets forming the express street plan as designated by the city traffic engineer are hereby declared to be through or express streets for the purpose of this chapter. Whenever a street is designated and described as a through or express street, the traffic engineer may place and maintain a stop sign on each and every street intersecting such through street or intersecting that portion thereof described and designated as such, unless traffic at any such intersection is controlled at all times by traffic-control signals; provided, however, that at the intersection of two such through streets or at the intersection of a through street and a heavy traffic street not so designated, stop signs shall be erected at the approaches of either or both of such streets as may be determined by the traffic engineer upon the basis of an engineering and traffic study. (b) The traffic engineer is hereby authorized to determine and designate intersections where a particular hazard exists upon other than through streets and to determine whether vehicles shall stop at one or more entrances to any such stop intersection, and shall erect a stop sign at every such place where a stop is required. (Code 1968, § 46-56)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-40 Yield intersections.

Sec. 45-40. - Yield intersections. The traffic engineer is hereby authorized to determine and designate intersections where a particular hazard exists and to determine whether vehicles on one of the intersecting streets shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles on the other street or streets and to erect a "yield right-of-way" sign at every place where such a sign is needed. (Code 1968, § 46-57)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-41 One-way streets and alleys.

Sec. 45-41. - One-way streets and alleys. (a) The traffic engineer is hereby authorized to designate streets or portions of streets and alleys upon which vehicles shall proceed and move in one direction only and to designate the direction in which movement is permitted, and to install official signs and markings designating such one-way movement. Upon those streets and parts of streets and in those alleys designated as one-way under the provisions of this subsection, vehicular traffic shall move only in the indicated direction when signs indicating the direction of traffic are erected and maintained at every intersection where movement in the opposite direction is prohibited, and it shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle in violation of such signs so placed in accordance with this subsection. (b) The traffic engineer is hereby authorized to determine and designate streets, parts of streets, or specific lanes thereon upon which vehicular traffic shall proceed in one direction during one period and the opposite direction during another period of the day and he shall place and maintain appropriate markings, signs, barriers or other devices to give notice thereof. The traffic engineer may erect signs temporarily designating lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction, regardless of the centerline of the roadway. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle in violation of such markings, signs, barriers, or other devices so placed in accordance with this subsection. (Code 1968, § 46-59)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-42 Driving or riding on fresh pavement.

Sec. 45-42. - Driving or riding on fresh pavement. It shall be unlawful for any person to drive any vehicle or ride any horse or other animal upon any portion of the streets in the city that has been freshly paved, unless all barriers or signal lights have been lawfully removed therefrom indicating that such street is ready for travel. (Code 1968, § 46-69)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-43 Obstructing crosswalks and intersections.

Sec. 45-43. - Obstructing crosswalks and intersections. The operator of a vehicle shall not cause the vehicle to enter a street intersection or a marked pedestrian crosswalk unless there is sufficient space for the operator's vehicle to pass through the intersection or crosswalk without obstructing other vehicular or pedestrian use of and passage through the intersection or crosswalk. The provisions of this section shall apply notwithstanding any traffic control signal indication to proceed into the intersection or crosswalk. (Ord. No. 00-885, § 1, 10-4-00)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-44 Vulnerable road users.

Sec. 45-44. - Vulnerable road users. (a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section will have the meanings set forth in this subsection, except when the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Safe distance means: (1) While passing, a separation between a motor vehicle and a vulnerable road user that, when all road, traffic and weather conditions are considered, provides the motorist sufficient space and time to avoid a collision with a vulnerable road user but, in any event, not less than 3 feet if the operator's vehicle is a passenger car or light truck and not less than 6 feet if the operator's vehicle is a truck (other than a light truck) or a commercial vehicle as defined by Texas Transportation Code Section 522.003; or (2) While trailing, a separation between a motor vehicle and a vulnerable road user that, when all road, traffic and weather conditions are considered, provides the motorist sufficient space and time to avoid a collision with a vulnerable road user. Vulnerable road user means: (1) A pedestrian (including a runner), physically disabled person (including a person in a wheelchair), stranded motorist or passenger, highway construction or maintenance worker, tow truck operator, or utility worker in the roadway; (2) A person on horseback or operating a horse-driven conveyance, in the roadway; (3) A person operating a bicycle (including an electric bicycle), hand cycle, or other human-powered wheeled vehicle in the roadway; or (4) A person operating a moped, motor-driven cycle, or motor-assisted scooter, as those terms are defined in sections 541.201 and 551.351 of the Texas Transportation Code, as applicable. (b) Action required. An operator of a motor vehicle or motorcycle shall: (1) When passing a vulnerable road user on a highway or street; a. Vacate the lane in which the vulnerable road user is located if the highway or street has two or more marked lanes running in the same direction if such action can be taken safely; or b. Pass the vulnerable road user at a safe distance; or (2) When making a turn at an intersection (including an intersection with an alley or private road or driveway), yield the right-of-way to a vulnerable road user who is approaching from the opposite direction and is in the intersection, or is in such proximity to the intersection as to be an immediate hazard. (c) Prohibited action. An occupant of a motor vehicle may not: (1) Knowingly throw or project any object or substance at or against a vulnerable road user, or the user's animal, equipment, vehicle or conveyance; (2) Overtake a vulnerable road user traveling in the same direction and subsequently make a turn in front of the vulnerable road user unless the operator is safely clear of the vulnerable road user, taking into account the speed at which the vulnerable road user is traveling and the braking requirements of the motor vehicle making the right-hand turn; or (3) Maneuver the vehicle in a manner that is intended to cause intimidation or harassment to a vulnerable road user or threatens a vulnerable road user. (d) Affirmative defense. It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that, at the time of the offense, the vulnerable road user was acting in violation of any applicable traffic law. (e) Offenses. The penalty for any violation of this section shall be a fine not to exceed $500.00. (Ord. No. 2013-429, § 2, 5-8-2013)

Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH45TR_ARTIIOPVEGEFetched: 10/26/2026