Dallas Motorcycle Traffic Laws

A safe motorcycle ride can change quickly. Heavy traffic leaves motorcycle riders exposed when drivers follow too closely, change lanes without looking, or ignore a rider’s right of way. Understanding Dallas motorcycle traffic laws helps you ride lawfully and recognize when another driver caused a preventable crash.

These same rules can shape an injury claim. After a collision, insurers examine a rider’s speed, lane position, and helmet and equipment use. An experienced motorcycle wreck attorney can preserve evidence and answer allegations of rider fault while pursuing compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain, and other losses you suffer.

Lane Rules Protect a Rider’s Space

A motorcycle operator has the right to use an entire traffic lane. Under Tex. Transp. Code § 545.0605, another vehicle cannot deprive a rider of a full lane. While the law allows two riders to share a lane side by side, a third motorcycle cannot ride in that row.

Dallas traffic rules also prohibit lane splitting, forbidding motorcyclists from traveling between lanes that move in the same direction. An insurer may raise your lane position to argue shared fault after a crash. Riders often navigate high-volume roads, such as Interstate 35E and Central Expressway, where sudden lane changes make the full-lane rule an important source of protection.

When Is a Helmet Required for Riders?

Traffic laws in Dallas also cover head protection for motorcycle riders. You and your passengers generally must wear approved protective headgear while on a motorcycle. Tex. Transp. Code § 661.003 creates an exception for a person who is at least 21 years old and has completed an approved motorcycle safety course or carries qualifying health insurance.

The exception does not make riding without a helmet risk-free. An insurer may argue that the absence of a helmet worsened a head injury, but that claim does not eradicate another driver’s negligence. Our attorneys can challenge unsupported assumptions while focusing on the medical evidence and crash mechanics.

Passenger and Equipment Rules Matter After a Crash

In Dallas, motorcycle traffic regulations also govern passengers and equipment. State law requires the operator to sit on the motorcycle’s permanent seat. A passenger may ride only when the motorcycle is designed for more than one person and has footrests and handholds. Under Tex. Transp. Code § 545.416, a passenger generally must be at least five years old unless the child rides in an attached sidecar.

Motorcycle equipment requirements also support visibility. Tex. Transp. Code § 547.801requires specific lighting equipment, including at least one headlamp and one tail lamp. When you preserve your motorcycle and its equipment after a crash, their condition can help corroborate how the collision happened.

How Traffic Violations Can Affect Injury Compensation

Under proportionate responsibility laws, violating traffic rules in Dallas can influence your motorcycle injury claim. Under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, a rider found more than half responsible recovers nothing. A smaller share of fault simply reduces the award by the corresponding percentage.

A traffic citation does not automatically decide civil liability. We investigate the full record, including:

• Police reports and scene photographs
• Surveillance footage from nearby vehicles or businesses
• Witness statements and vehicle damage
• Medical records linking injuries to the crash

The Dallas Municipal Court addresses local traffic citations, but an injury claim proceeds separately. We can build your civil case around admissible evidence and documentation of your losses.

Discuss Motorcycle Traffic Rules With a Dallas Attorney

Motorcycle claims demand prompt action. Roadway evidence can disappear, and insurers may seek a recorded statement before you know the extent of your injuries. We bring decades of experience and community commitment along with the resources to challenge insurers.

After a crash involving Dallas motorcycle traffic laws, call The Wilhite Law Firm today to chat with our team. Your consultation is free, and you pay no attorney fees unless we win. Wilhite Wins.