Traffic Code and Crash Investigation Flashcards
Operator Definition
in reference to a vehicle, a person who drives or has physical control of a vehicle.
Authorized emergency vehicle
Fire department or police vehicle and emergency medical service vehicle authorize under emergency medical service provider license.
Bicycle
Using human power and has either 14 inches in diameter, three wheels, two of which are in parallel, and at least one of the three wheels is more that 14 inches in diameter.
Bus
A motor vehicle used to transport persons in design to accommodate more than 10 passangers, including operator/compensation.
Farm Tractor
motor vehicle design a used primarily as farm implement to draw and implement of husbandry, including a plow or mowing machine
House Trailer
Trailer or semi trailer other than a towable recreational vehicle that is transportable on a highway in one or more sections less than 45 feet in length excluding Tobar
Implements of Husbandry
vehicle other than passenger car or truck that is designed and adapted for use as farm implement, machinery, or tool for plowing soil/spread fertilizer.
Light Truck
including pick up truck panel delivery, truck or carrier truck that has manufactures carrying capacity for 2000 pounds or less
Moped
means a motor vehicle that is equipped with a rider’s saddle and designed to have when propelled not more than three wheels on the ground, that cannot attain a speed in one mile of more than 30 miles per hour, and the engine of which:
(A) cannot produce more than five-brake horsepower; and
(B) if an internal combustion engine, has a piston displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or less and connects to a power drive system that does not require the operator to shift gears.
Motorcycle
motor vehicle other than tractor or moped that is equipped with a rider saddle in design to have when propelled , not more than three wheels on the ground.
Multi function, school activity bus
means a motor vehicle that was manufactured in compliance with the federal motor vehicle safety standards for school buses in effect on the date of manufacture other than the standards requiring the bus to display alternately flashing red lights and to be equipped with movable stop arms, and that is used to transport preprimary, primary, or secondary students on a school-related activity trip other than on routes to and from school. The term does not include a school bus, a school activity bus, a school-chartered bus, or a bus operated by a mass transit authority.
Passenger Car
motor vehicle other than motorcycle used to transport person in design to accommodate 10 or fewer passengers, including the operator
Pole Trailer
means a vehicle without motive power:
(A) designed to be drawn by another vehicle and secured to the other vehicle by pole, reach, boom, or other security device; and
(B) ordinarily used to transport a long or irregularly shaped load, including poles, pipes, or structural members, generally capable of sustaining themselves as beams between the supporting connections.
Police Vehicle
means a vehicle used by a peace officer, for law enforcement purposes that is owned or leased by a governmental entity.
A Vehicle that is owned or leased by the police department of a private institution of higher education that commissions peace officers.
Road Tractor
designed and used to draw another vehicle, but not constructed to carry the load independently or part of weight of other vehicles or it’s load.
School Bus
are used to transport pre-primary primary or secondary students on a route to or from school or on a school related activity trip, other than on routes to and from school.
Semitrailer
with or without motive, power, other than pull trailer constructed, so that part of the vehicle, weight and load rest on or is carried by another vehicle
Special mobile equipment
used primarily not transport person or property and that is on incidentally operate on highway., includes ditch, digging apparatus, will boring apparatus in road, construction and maintenance machinery, including an asphalt spreader bituminous mixer bucket loader
Towable recreational vehicle
non-motorized vehicle designed to be towable by motor vehicle and for temporary human habitation for uses including recreational camping or seasonal use.
Trailer
designed to be drawn by motor vehicle and transport person or property
Truck
maintain primarily to transfer property.
Truck Tractor
primarily to draw another vehicle, but not constructed to carry a load other than a part of weight of the other vehicle and its load.
Vehicle
device that can be used to transport or draw persons or property on a highway
Electric Bicycle
means a bicycle that:
(A) is designed to be propelled by an electric motor, exclusively
or in combination with the application of human power;
(B) cannot attain a speed of more than 20 miles per hour
without the application of human power; and
(C) does not exceed a weight of 100 pounds
Railroad
Means a carrier that operates cars, other than streetcars, on a stationary rails to transport persons or property.
Railroad Train
steam, engine or electric, or other motor with or without an attached car operated on rails, other than streetcar.
Streetcar
other than railroad train, used to transport person or property and operated on rails, located primary within a municipality.
Exhaust emission system
motor vehicle engine modification designed to control or reduce the emission of substance from a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine model year of 1968
Metal tire
a tire that has a surface in contact with the highway that is made of metal or another hard, nonresilient material, either in part or in whole.
Muffler
device that reduces noise using a mechanical design, including a series of chambers or baffle plates to receive exhaust gas from internal concession engine.
Solid Tire
is made of rubber or another resilient material; and does not use compressed air to support its load.
Operator
person who drives or has physical control of a vehicle
Owner
Person who has property, interest or title of a vehicle
Pedestrian
person on foot
school crossing guard
responsible person who is at least 18 years of age and is designated by a local authority to direct traffic in a Crossing school zone.
Department
department of public safety
Director
public safety, director
Local Authority
a County municipality or other local entity authorized to enact traffic laws under the law of the state.
Metropolitan Area
contains at least one municipalities with a population of at least 100,000
Business Districts
means the territory adjacent to and including a highway if buildings used for business or industrial purposes, including a building used as a hotel, bank, office building, public building, or railroad station:
(A) are located within a 600-foot segment along the highway; and
(B) within that segment the buildings occupy at least 300 feet of frontage on one side of the highway;
Police Officer
means an officer authorized to direct traffic or arrest persons who
violate traffic regulations.
Residence District
means the territory, other than a business district, adjacent to and including a highway, if at least 300 feet of the highway frontage is primarily improved with:
(A) residences; or buildings used for business purposes and residences.
Urban District
means the territory adjacent to and including a highway, if the territory:
(A) is not in a municipality; and
(B) is improved with structures that are used for business, industry, or dwelling houses and located at intervals of less than 100 feet for a distance of at least one-quarter mile on either side of the highway.
Traffic
means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, and conveyances, including vehicles and streetcars, singly or together while using a highway for the purposes of travel.
Alley
means a street that:
(A) is not used primarily for through traffic; and
(B) provides access to rear entrances of buildings or lots along a street.street that is not used primarily for through traffic and provides access to where is uses of buildings.
Crosswalk
the portion of a roadway, including an intersection, designated as a pedestrian crossing by surface markings, including lines; or
the portion of a roadway at an intersection that is within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs or, in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway.
Freeway
Divided controlled access highway for through traffic.
Freeway main Lane
means a freeway lane having an uninterrupted flow of through traffic
Highway or Street
means the width between the boundary lines of a publicly maintained way any part of which is open to the public for vehicular travel.
improved Shoulder
means a paved shoulder
Laned Roadway
roadway that is divided into at least two clearly marked lanes for vehicle travel
Limited access or controlled access highway
access by persons to enter, or exit the highway or roadway, if restricted under law except a place in the manner determined by the authority that has your jurisdiction over the highway or roadway.
Private road or driveway
means a privately owned way or place used for vehicular travel and used only by the owner and persons who have the owner’s express or implied permission.
Ramp
means an interconnecting roadway of a traffic interchange, or a connecting roadway between highways at different levels or between parallel highways, that allows a vehicle to enter or exit a roadway.
Safety Zone
means the area in a roadway officially designated for exclusive pedestrian use and that is protected or so marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while so designated.
Shoulder
means the portion of a highway that is:
(A) adjacent to the roadway;
(B) designed or ordinarily used for parking;
(C) distinguished from the roadway by different design, construction, or marking; and
(D) not intended for normal vehicular travel.
Sidewalk
portion of a street that is between a curve or lateral line of the roadway in the adjacent property line and intended for pedestrians
Through Highway
highway or portion of a highway on which vehicle traffic is given preferential right of way. Vehicular traffic answering from the intersecting highway is required by law to yield right of way in a conference with official traffic control device.
Intersection
junction of two highways other than the junction of an alley and Highway.
Official traffic control device
Sign, signal, marking or device that is placed or erected by public body or officer having jurisdiction and used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic.
Railroad, sign or signal
sign signal or device directed by a railroad or public body or public officer to notify traffic of railroad tracks, or an approaching railroad train
Traffic control signal
Mechanical device that alternately direct traffic to stop and to proceed.
Daytime
period beginning 1/2 hour before sunrise and ending 1/2 hour after sunset.
Night time
period beginning 1/2 hour after sunset ending 1/2 hour before sunrise.
Flammable liquid
a liquid that has a flash point of not more than 70 degrees Fahrenheit
Gross vehicle weight
weight of vehicle and weight of its load.
Park or parking
to stand in occupied, or an occupied vehicle, other than temporarily, while loading, or unloading merchandise or passengers
Personal injury
injury to any part of human body, and that requires treatment
Right of way
right of one vehicle or pedestrian to proceed in a lawful manner and preference to another vehicle or pedestrian that is approaching from a direction.
Stand or Standing
means to halt an occupied or unoccupied vehicle, other than temporarily while receiving or discharging passengers.
Stop or stopping
when required, to completely cease movement; and when prohibited, to halt, including momentarily halting, an occupied or unoccupied vehicle, unless necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or to comply with the directions of a police officer or a traffic-control sign or signal.
Dispose and dump
discharge deposit, inject spill leak or place later on or into land of water
Litter
decayable waste or non decayable solid waste
Public highway
The entire width between property lines that are open to the public for vehicular traffic, used as a public recreational area or are under the state’s jurisdiction
Illegal Dumping; Discarding Lighted Materials; Criminal Penalties
- Transports, disposes or allows the disposal of litter or other solid waste that is not a waste site, including a place on or within 300ft of a public highway
o Class C – 5lbs or less or volume of 5g or less - Discards lighted littler (cigarette) – less than 500lbs or volume of less than 100 cubic ft.
o $500 fine or confinement not to exceed 30d - Class B – weighs 5-500lbs or volume 5more than 5g less than 100 cubic ft.
County regulations, all of litter near public highway criminal penalty, 365.034.
- MAY prohibit the accumulation of litter (30d+), provide for the removal of litter and provide for the assessment
- Before this the court SHALL send a notice and will not act until the 30th day after
o If costs not paid within 60d, a lien attaches to the property with interest of 10% annually
o Class C
Section 542.005 rules on private property.
● Does not prevent an owner of a private property that is private road from regulating or prohibiting use of property by the public of vehicle travel, or requiring conditions different from, or in addition to those specified by the subtitle
Residence district
means the territory, other than a business district, adjacent to and including a highway, if at least 300 feet of the highway frontage is primarily improved with:
(A) residences; or
(B) buildings used for business purposes and residences.
(3) “Urban district” means the territory adjacent to and including a highway, if the territory:
(A) is not in a municipality; and
(B) is improved with structures that are used for business, industry, or dwelling houses and located at intervals of less than 100 feet for a distance of at least one-quarter mile on either side of the highway.
House Trailer
Does NOT include a trailer or semitrailer that is less than 45 ft in length, has a permanent chassis, and can be used as a dwelling
Personal injury
An injury to any part of the human body and that requires treatment
Disability
Condition in which a person has mobility problems that substantially impair the person’s ability to ambulate.
Gross Vehicle Weight
The weight of a vehicle and the weight of its load.
Tail Lamps
TAIL LAMPS shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle at a height from 15 to 72 inches; and spaced as widely apart
(d) A taillamp shall emit a red light plainly visible at a distance of 1,000 feet from the rear of the vehicle.
License Plate Light
Must be white, and visible for 50ft.
Turn Signals need to be visiable at?
Red or Amber
Visible 500 ft (at least 80’’ wide)
Visible 300 ft (if less than 80’’ wide)
mount height and color of rear reflectors?
mounted at a height from 15 to 60 inches; and red in color
How many headlights are required and their placement.
2 headlights required, 24” - 54”
how many driving lights can you have?
May have no more that 2 driving lights
How many fog lamps can you have and the placement?
May have 2 fog lamps 12”-30”
front turn signals can be what color?
White or amber
how far away from a fire-hydrant must you park?
15ft
what is the legal parking distance away from crosswalks, driveways,
20ft
When making a turn your turn signal is required when?
100ft before the turn
An operator approaching a railroad grade crossing shall stop not closer than or farther than how many feet?
15ft/50ft
Can a traffic officer, police officer or escort flagger direct traffic to disregard a traffic control device?
Yes
When can the operator of a vehicle facing a flashing yellow signal proceed through an intersection or past the signal?
Only with caution
The operator of a vehicle or streetcar shall comply with an applicable official traffic-control device placed as provided by this subtitle unless the person is:
Operating emergency vehicles
True or False: A person commits an offense if the person uses, sells, offers for sale, purchases, or possesses for use or sale a traffic-control signal preemption device.
True
Can a person put up a sign that resembles a traffic control device or railroad sign?
Not where it would affect traffic
What are the requirements for an operator of a vehicle facing a circular green signal?
Can go forward, but must yield when making a left turn
A clearly marked stop line
An operator of a vehicle facing only a steady red signal shall stop at _______________________.
At a flashing signal the operator of a vehicle facing a flashing red signal shall stop at a clearly marked _______________.
Stop line
At a flashing signal, in the absence of a stop line, the operator shall stop before entering the ________________ on the near side of the intersection.
Crosswalk
At a flashing signal, in the absence of a crosswalk, the operator shall stop at the place nearest the _________________________ where the operator has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway.
Intersection
If a lane-direction-control signal is placed over an individual lane of a highway, a vehicle may travel in a lane over which a _____ signal is shown but may not enter or travel in a lane over which a _____ signal is shown.
- Green Signal - Can drive on
- Red Signal - cannot drive on
At a location controlled by stop and/or yield signs, what must a driver do at a crosswalk?
- Yield the right of way to pedestrians
Bill is driving on a roadway and is driving left of the center lane to avoid a tree limb in his traffic lane.
No offense
Joe is passing another vehicle in an authorized passing lane. A vehicle is approaching in the opposite direction and is within 150 feet of Joe’s location. Joe enters his lane and avoids a collision.
- Trans Code 545.054
- Passing to the Left: safe distance (200 ft clearance of on coming vehicles)
What is a driver being passed supposed to do?
Slow and allow other vehicle to pass safely
Sam is approaching a railroad grade crossing in Fort Worth. The road is two lane (one in each direction). Sam decides to pass another vehicle and is within 50 feet of the crossing.
Must be between 15 a 50ft from the crossing
You are approached by a citizen who asks you what the distance is to drive left of center approaching a bridge.
100ft
You observe a vehicle pass another vehicle that’s turning left by using the shoulder of the roadway.
No offense
You observe a vehicle following another vehicle at 10 feet back. Both vehicles are traveling 45 mph.
Following to closely/Following distance
You are working traffic on a multi-lane roadway. You see a vehicle entering a lane of traffic from a lane to the right and another vehicle entering the same lane of traffic from a lane to the left. Who has the right of way?
The vehicle entering the same lane of traffic from a lane to the left
You observe a vehicle swerving in and out of a traffic lane on a roadway. You think the driver may be intoxicated and stop him. Is his initial driving behavior a violation of the Transportation Code?
Yes, failure to drive within a signal marked lane of traffic
Which direction do you drive around a rotary traffic island?
To the right
Can you drive on an improved shoulder?
Yes - can pass a vehicle to make a left hand turn, to avoid collision, to allow another vehicle traveling faster to pass, to decelerate before making a right turn
How about backing on an improved shoulder?
?
When is use of a turn signal required?
Turning, changing lanes and when leaving any parking lot
An operator on an unpaved street or roadway approaching an intersection of a paved street or roadway shall do what?
Yield to the paved
To turn a vehicle right or left the driver must signal continuously for not less than the last ____ of movement of the vehicle before the turn
100ft
The correct hand signal for this action is to extend the hand and arm downwards.
Stopping or slowing
- An operator who is permitted to give a hand and arm signal shall give the signal from the left side of the vehicle as follows. To make a left turn signal, extend hand and arm _____
Straight out
- It is unlawful to make a “U-Turn” upon any curve where the turning vehicle cannot be seen by a driver approaching from either direction within _____
500ft
- Mabel is driving her car on a public street. She intends to turn left at the next intersection. She must give the appropriate signal for the turn continuously during the last ___ ft before turning.
100ft
Speed Limit on Urban street
30mph
Speed limit on number highway outside an urban district, including a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market road
60mph
