Is Brake Checking Illegal in Texas?

(Tyler, Texas) - Driving can be a bit of a chore depending on the day. Most days, every driver around us is doing what they're suppossed to be doing. Select days it seems like everyone just wants to disregard every traffic law and make the commute miserable.

One action some impatient drivers will partake in is tailgating. This action is meant to scare the driver into moving over thinking they'll get bumped from behind. Some will move while others will tap the brakes, or brake check, in the hopes the tailgating driver will back off.

I Had an Interesting Solution to Tailgaters Back in the Day

My first car was a 1973 Volkswagen Beetle. I loved that car. Sure, those 40 horses got me from 0 to 60 mph in a minute or so but it wasn't about the speed, it was about how fun that car was. I kept having instances where someone would tailgate me knowing that I was nowhere near as fast as they were.

I went to my uncle who was a great mechanic with an idea. Could I get a toggle switch that could be wired to the brake lights? If someone tailgated me, instead of tapping the brakes, I could just flip that switch. He got it wired up for me.

One day, I was coming back into Tyler on Highway 31 and a car was following too close to me. Yes! I can finally test my brake switch. I reached down and flipped the switched and watched the car behind me slam on their brakes. It was awesome and that car didn't get on my rear end again.

Is Tapping the Brakes, or Brake Checking, Illegal in Texas?

In Texas, there is no law that says that brake checking is illegal (mysanantonio.com). What is illegal is the reason for brake checking, following too close. Texas Transportation code 545.062 makes it illegal to follow too close to the vehicle in front of you.

You, as the driver, by law, must leave a reasonable gap between you and the vehicle in front of you. If you are following too close, you can be considered at fault for hitting the person in front of you. Driving on the roadways of Texas isn't like driving in a pack of NASCARs.

Be a courteous driver, my friends, so we all can get to our destination safely.

The Words That Will Be Rejected for a Texas License Plate

We see them a lot more on the roadways of Texas, personalized license plates. While they are clever, there are certain words that will never be approved.

Gallery Credit: Michael Gibson / Townsquare Media