Are You Breaking the Law if You Get Out of Your Car at a Texas Stoplight?

(KNUE-FM) When I look back at my school days, I remember driving around with friends and noticing a group of guys we knew from school doing something unusual. They would reach a stoplight, run around the vehicle, and then get back in before the light turned green again.

“Back in My Day…”: Red Light Shenanigans We All Remember

I'll never forget the wild chuckling that ensued. I'm not sure why we all thought it was hilarious, but it was.

Get our free mobile app

Another time, I saw someone get out of their car at a stoplight to confront a driver behind them. That was a less jubilant experience. However, no fights broke out, so I was thankful for that.

I didn't see any law enforcement at either of those stoplight shenanigans.

READ MORE: Top Five Things In Texas That Feel Illegal, But Aren’t

But I did wonder: Is it illegal to get out of your car at a stoplight?

I couldn't determine whether it's illegal to get out of your car at a stoplight. It's probably best that none of us leave our vehicles at red lights in Texas.

Door Ajar? You Might Already Be Breaking the Law

Texas law does say, however, that it is illegal to open your door while you're behind the wheel of a vehicle. Since that's the case, we can assume that getting out of the car would not be welcomed.

So yeah, even opening the door at a stoplight would breach Texas law.

Emergencies May Be an Exception—But Just Being Silly? Not So Much

Obviously, we'd be compelled to get out of our cars in an emergency, and law enforcement would likely be understanding in those situations.

But in situations where a bunch of kids are running around the vehicles just to be ridiculous, that probably isn't a good idea. (Sadly, that's why some feel compelled to do it.)