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Trina asks: My husband is a habitual tailgater. If he wants to pass another vehicle on the highway, he gets too close to them to intimidate the other driver to move over. Did I mention he drives a big truck? This has me pulling my hair out. How close can you be to a vehicle before you violate the driving too close law?

Answer: You are correct. Your husband’s driving behavior on the highways where the speed limits are higher is very dangerous and should be stopped immediately. There’s no set footage or distance given by the state for traveling on the roads of Texas, only that it’s done at a safe distance. I hope this gets your husband’s attention. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-end collisions account for approximately 23 percent of all motor vehicle crashes, resulting in approximately 2,000 deaths and 950,000 injuries.

Nancy asks: I saw a truck parked on side the road, but it wasn’t parked close to the curb. I said this has to be illegal, so I decided Ask A Cop!

Answer: Parking is a problem all municipalities large and small have to deal with. Many of the larger municipalities like Houston and Dallas have their own “Parking Enforcement” department. in Texas, the Transportation Code states a vehicle can park no more than 18 inches from the curb. Police can issue a citation for any vehicle found parked more than 18 inches from the curb.

Vincent asks: When turning right at a red light when there’s no traffic coming, can I turn without stopping all the way if no vehicles are coming? Does a vehicle have to come to a complete stop before turning at a traffic signal if no other vehicles are near that intersection?

Answer: In Texas you must come to a complete stop when turning right on a red light. Yes, you can turn right at a red light but that’s only after you have brought your vehicle to a complete stop. In reality, the red light must be treated like a stop sign, meaning you must yield the right of way to all vehicles traveling that direction while the light is red, before you attempt a right turn at a red light. Traffic signal intersections are dangerous and deadly when active signal is not obeyed by motorists.

Join Me, Officer Antoine and the CREW Stephen “Buzzard Boots” Mosley, Lelo “mouth of Hwy 69/73” I Washington and Tejas “Lil Man”Morning Star for Ask A Cop live on KSAP 96.9 FM The Breeze every Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m. You can also tune in via ksapthebreeze.org. Call in live at 409-982-0247. Email questions to rickey.antoine@portarthurtx.gov, call 409-983-8673 or mail them to: Ofc. Rickey Antoine, 645 4th Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640. If you see me in public, you are always free and comfortable to approach and “Ask A Cop!”