Rules Of The Road
Seat belts: All vehicle occupants must be strapped in. Violations are subject to fines up to $200.
Child car seats: Any child younger than 8 – unless they are taller than 4 feet 9 inches – must be in a safety seat. Only warning tickets will be issued until June 1, after which fines of $25 will be imposed.
Cellphones: No one younger than 18 can use a cellphone while driving. No one of any age can use a cellphone in a school zone, unless it’s to make an emergency call, the vehicle is stopped or a hands-free device is used. Fines will be up to $200.
Insurance: Driving with a suspended license or without insurance gets more costly – up to 180 days in jail and fines up to $2,000. So does driving without a valid license or uninsured and causing injury or death in an accident – up to a year in jail and a maximum $4,000 fine.
Licensing: For those younger than 18, a driving skills test will become mandatory to get a license. Also, the prohibitions against driving from midnight to 5 a.m. or driving with more than one person younger than 21 (unless a family member) are extended from six months to one year after obtaining a license.
Motorcycles: Proof that a certified training course has been completed will be needed to get a license. No passengers younger than 5 can ride. Fines are $200.
DWI: Police can draw blood from drunken-driving suspects if records show a history of DWI offenses. Such drivers cannot refuse the tests.
Source: dallasnews.com
