Texas Codes

Tex. Transp. Code § 545.104 (2026)

Signaling Turns; Use Of Turn Signals

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 545.104. SIGNALING TURNS; USE OF TURN SIGNALS. (a) An operator shall use the signal authorized by Section 545.106 to indicate an intention to turn, change lanes, or start from a parked position.

(b) An operator intending to turn a vehicle right or left shall signal continuously for not less than the last 100 feet of movement of the vehicle before the turn.

(c) An operator may not light the signals on only one side of the vehicle on a parked or disabled vehicle or use the signals as a courtesy or "do pass" signal to the operator of another vehicle approaching from the rear.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 227 cases (28 in the last 5 years), 1997–2026 · leading case: Mahaffey v. State, 364 S.W.3d 908 (Tex. Crim. App. 2012).
Mahaffey v. State, 364 S.W.3d 908 (Tex. Crim. App. 2012). · cites it 22× “Sergeant Sparks turned on his overhead lights for a traffic stop based on the failure to signal a lane change as required by Texas Transportation Code Section 545.104(a).”
Mahaffey v. State, 316 S.W.3d 633 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010). · cites it 6× “passes a traffic sign that states, "Lane Ends, Merge Left," and who merges left after the right lane ends—that is, where the broken dividing lines between the two lanes cease and the line dividing the right-hand lane from the shoulder angles inward—have to signal that merge? In…”
State v. Elias, 339 S.W.3d 667 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011). · cites it 4× “[3] See TEX. TRANSP. CODE § 545.104(a) ("An operator shall use [a turn signal] to indicate an intention to turn, change lanes, or start from a parked position.”
Lemmons v. State, 133 S.W.3d 751 (Tex. App. 2004). · cites it 4× “See Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 545.104 (Vernon 1999); Krug v.”
State v. Ballman, 157 S.W.3d 65 (Tex. App. 2005). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 545.104 (Vernon 1999) (requiring operator to activate a turn signal to “indicate an intention to turn”).”
Fowler v. State, 266 S.W.3d 498 (Tex. App. 2008). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 545.104 (a) (Vernon 1999) ("An operator shall use the [turn] signal .”
Castro v. State, 227 S.W.3d 737 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). “Texas Transportation Code section 545.104 states that: (a) An operator shall use the signal authorized by Section 545.”
James v. State, 102 S.W.3d 162 (Tex. App. 2003). “Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 545.104 (a) (Vernon 1999) ("An operator shall use the signal authorized .”
United States v. Marco Alvarado-Zarza, 782 F.3d 246 (5th Cir. 2015). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 545.104 (b). Officer Barrientos briefly questioned Alvarado-Zarza and then obtained consent to search his vehicle.”
United States v. Steve Zuniga, 860 F.3d 276 (5th Cir. 2017). “Texas Transportation Code § 545.104 provides that a vehicle's "operator intending to turn a vehicle right or left shall signal continuously for not less than the last 100 feet of movement of the vehicle before the turn.”
Jordan Dwayne Nichols v. State, 494 S.W.3d 854 (Tex. App. 2016). · cites it 4× “1 See Tex. Transp. Code Ann, § 545.104 (Vernon 2011).”
Butler v. State, 300 S.W.3d 474 (Tex. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “See Tex. TraNSP. Code Ann. § 545.104 (Vernon 1999).”
— Tex. Transp. Code § 545.104(a) — 54 cases
Mahaffey v. State, 364 S.W.3d 908 (Tex. Crim. App. 2012). “Sergeant Sparks turned on his overhead lights for a traffic stop based on the failure to signal a lane change as required by Texas Transportation Code Section 545.104(a).”
State v. Elias, 339 S.W.3d 667 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011). “[3] See TEX. TRANSP. CODE § 545.104(a) ("An operator shall use [a turn signal] to indicate an intention to turn, change lanes, or start from a parked position.”
Mahaffey v. State, 316 S.W.3d 633 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010). “passes a traffic sign that states, "Lane Ends, Merge Left," and who merges left after the right lane ends—that is, where the broken dividing lines between the two lanes cease and the line dividing the right-hand lane from the shoulder angles inward—have to signal that merge? In…”
Krug v. State, 86 S.W.3d 764 (Tex. App. 2002).
Fowler v. State, 266 S.W.3d 498 (Tex. App. 2008). “See Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 545.104 (a) (Vernon 1999) ("An operator shall use the [turn] signal .”
— Tex. Transp. Code § 545.104(a)(b) — 2 cases
— Tex. Transp. Code § 545.104(b) — 42 cases
Mahaffey v. State, 316 S.W.3d 633 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010). “passes a traffic sign that states, "Lane Ends, Merge Left," and who merges left after the right lane ends—that is, where the broken dividing lines between the two lanes cease and the line dividing the right-hand lane from the shoulder angles inward—have to signal that merge? In…”
Tasby v. State, 111 S.W.3d 178 (Tex. App. 2003).
Deon Stewart v. State (Tex. App. 2011).
Thomas, Tommy Scott (Tex. App. 2015).
Thomas, Tommy Scott (Tex. App. 2015).
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