Texas traffic can be pretty bad, especially in the cities. In fact, Houston is officially one of the cities with the worst traffic in the U.S.! Be smart planning your trips and use modern apps that help you avoid wasting precious time! Here are a few links that can make your Texas driving experience better:

• Drive Texas: TxDOT Highway Conditions
• Traffic: Fox 4 News
• Traffic: ABC 13 News

Summer days

Texas weather is like a woman — her mood changes often, and she occasionally doesn’t know what to wear. Texans do prefer to drive on all season tires, but actually the weather conditions of the state suit the seasonal tire changeover. Why? Because summer tires offer the drivers enhanced performance: they drive really well in heavy rains (perfect aquaplaning prevention thanks to the deep grooves and a special tread design), and on very hot road’ surfaces (the compound doesn’t “melt”, or “stick” to the road). Shop for used summer or performance tires on our website and save up to 50% of your tire budget.

Winter in the West

To be ready for the surprises of capricious winter weather in the Western Texas mountains, or in Texas Panhandle, you might need special rubber. Winter tires secure good grip with the icy, snowy, slushy road’s surface, their compound is softer, and the tread pattern — is more brutal than of the other tires. Shop for new and used winter tires at Utires.com, and have them delivered for free by FedEx Home Delivery, right to the door of your home in Texas. Another safe option is the all-season M+S (“mud and snow”) tires, specially designed for harsh winter weather conditions.

Here are some Texan traffic rules to keep in mind, particularly if you are a visitor to the state.

• An unmarked crosswalk?, Yes, in Texas a path that connects two opposite sidewalks at any intersection is effectively a pedestrian crosswalk, even if unmarked. In Texas, pedestrians have the right of the way, so yield!
• Turning on red? Yes, you may take a right turn on red after you stop at an intersection, and, if both intersecting streets are one-way, you are allowed to take a left on red, if signs on intersections don’t say otherwise.
• Move Over / Slow Down law (Texas Transportation Code 545.157) requires drivers to move a minimum of one full line away when passing police vehicles, EMS vehicles, fire engines, TxDOT, or tow trucks parked/stopped on the side of the road with their emergency lights on. And, if that’s not possible, you must slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
• Equal rights to cyclists on the road? Yes, even though they are often much slower than cars, in Texas bicycles are considered vehicles, and are equal in rights (and duties) to motorists.
• All yellow warning signs must be observed in Texas.

• No double parking in Texas is allowed
• No parking is allowed in the crosswalk, sidewalk, and within an intersection,
• No parking within 30 feet from the safety zone, and an adjacent curb
• When parking near an excavation or any other obstruction on the street, make sure you are not obstructing traffic, or, else, don’t park there!
• No parking, stopping, or standing on the bridges and other elevated structures. And don’t park in a tunnel, or on the railroad tracks. Cannot park, stop, or stand on a bridge or other elevated highway structure, or in a tunnel. The same is true of railroad tracks
• The fine for parking in a handicapped spot is between $500 and $750 for first-time offenders, just so you know

The allowed VLT (visible light transmittance) values for sedans, vans, and SUVs in Texas

• Front side windows must allow more than 25% of light in
• Rear and backside windows can have any degree of tint film applied to them
• The windshield’s top 5 inches can have a 25% VLT tint with less than 25% reflection

Find out the hottest tinting industry trends, information about the brands, the most valuable pro tips, and much more!

Drivers under 21 years old must wear a helmet at all times. It is advisable to always ride with the helmet on, for your own safety. In Texas, if you are 21 or older, you can ride without a helmet, if you meet an eligible helmet exemption.

To know more about helmet laws in Texas, visit the Texas Department of Transportation website.

Texas highways

Texas has the largest state highway system in the U.S., which greatly helps the development of manufacturing, tourism, and agriculture. Texas is an important transportation hub. Trucks can reach 93 percent of the nation's population within 48, and 37 percent within 24 hours from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. For the best deals on highway tires, visit the highway tires section on our website. Free FedEx Home Delivery of tires to your door in Texas with every order!

Texas tolls

The Texas Department of Transportation is operating the largest network of tollways in the U.S., you can get more information on the routes and Texas tolls at the official TxTag.org website.

Due to Texas’ size, and terrain diversity, along with its rich history and unique cultural blends, there are many opportunities to have a nice road trip in Texas!

Drive on Texas’ highest highway through the 75 miles long Davis Mountains Scenic Loop, to get a sense of the Hill Country’s breath-taking landscape.

Have a 59 miles drive on the Lonesome Highway on the way to the Guadalupe Mountains, with Guadalupe (Signal) Peak, the highest elevation in Texas, at 8.751 feet above sea level. Experience the Texan wilderness and enjoy the magnificent West Texas vistas.

On a 40 miles sea-side drive on the Bluewater Highway, from Surfside Beach, just south of Houston, to the tip of Galveston Island, you’ll be crossing the 1.3 miles long San Luis Pass Bridge. You can see the sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico if you hit Bluewater Highway early enough.

Palo Duro Canyon, aka “The Grand Canyon of Texas” is the second-largest canyon in the U.S., located in the Texas Panhandle, not far from another large canyon at nearby Caprock Canyons State Park. Do the 129 miles long Canyon Sweep drive, explore various routes in the area, and bring back impressive pictures and good impressions.

• Believe it or not, it is against the law in Texas to operate a vehicle without windshield wipers, but, at the same time, Texas doesn’t have a law that requires vehicles to have a windshield.
• In Galveston, it’s illegal to drive a motor car down Broadway on Sundays before noon. Plus, sitting on the sidewalks there can result in a fine of up to $500.
• No U-turns in Richardson, TX. Just continue driving, will ya?
• No alcohol within arm’s length from the driver in Lubbock, and, if your passenger has been drinking, that refers to the alcohol in his system, make sure to put them in the backseat!
• In Texarkana, TX horses require tail lights, so don’t be surprised.
• The fastest-ever speeding ticket was issued in Houston, for driving at 243 mph in the 75-mph zone.
• Distracted driving in Texas is illegal, but you are welcome to wear headphones while driving.