Hon. Jules Damiani, Jr. 

Criminal District Attorney 

405 County Courthouse 

Galveston, Texas 77550 

Dear Mr. Damiani: 

Opinion No: M-698 

Re: Interpretation of Section 

52c, Article 6701d, 

Revised Civil Statutes 

of Texas, and related . 

sections. 

You have requested an opinion of this office as 

follows: 

"Is it a violation of Article 6701d, 

Revised Civil Statutes of Texas, for 

a motorist to make a left hand turn 

off of a four lane highway across a 

double yellow stripe (no passing zone) 

into a private driveway?" 

you further state that Farm Road 517 in Galveston County, 

Texas, is a state highway maintained by the Texas Hiqhway 

nepartment located in the corporate limits of the city 

of Texas City, Texas, and is a four lane highway having 

a double yellow stripe in the center. 

Prior to the amendment of Section 52 by Acts 1969, 

61st Legislature, Chapter 329, Page 1019, the question 

you ask probably would have been answered by Section 57 

or 58 of Article 6701d, which relate to passing on the 

left hand side of a roadway. However, Section 52c specifically 

applies to driving on the left side of the center line 

on four lane highways having two-way travel and states 

as follows: 

"C. Upon any roadway having four 

or more lanes for moving traffic and 

providing for two-way movement of traffic, 

no vehicle shall be driven to the left 

of the center line of the roadway, 

except when authorized by official 

traffic control devices designating 

certain lanes to the left side of the 

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'Bon. Jules Damiani, Jr., Page 2 (W- 698) 

center of the roadway for use by traffic 

not otherwise permitted to use such 

lanes, or except as permitted under 

Subsection 2(ai hereof. However, this 

subsection shall not be construed as 

prohibiting a crossing of a center 

line in makins a,,left turn into or 

from an alley, rivate road or driveway." 

(Emphasis Adde 

The provisions of Section 52~ of Article 6701d disallow 

any person from traveling for any reason on the left hand 

side of a roadway having four or more lanes for moving 

traffic except when authorized by the exceptions provided 

therein. One of the exceptions is that left-hand turns 

into a private driveway are not prohibited. 

It is, therefore, our opinion that it is not a violation 

of Article 6701d, Vernon's Civil Statutes of Texas, for 

a motorist to make a left hand turn off of a four lane highway 

across a double yellow stripe into an alley, a private road 

or driveway, because Section 52c of Article 6701d specificallY 

allows this act. 

SUMMARY 

It is not a violation of Article 6701d, Vernon's Civil 

Statutes of Texas, for a motorist to make a left hand turn 

off of a four lane highway across a double yellow stripe 

into an alley, private road or driveway, because Section 

52c of Article 6701d specifically 

:? 

110~s this act. 

Att$ney General of Texas 

Prepared by Bennie W. Bock, II 

Assistant Attorney General 

APPROVED: 

OPINION COMMITTEE 

Kerns Taylor, Ch&znan 

W. E. Allen, Co-Chairman 

R. D. Green 

Ed Esquivel 

liarold Xennedy 

Sam L. Jones 

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‘\ 
Hon. Jules Damiani, Jr., page 3 (M- 0)x) 

MEADI: F. GRIFFIN 

staff Legal Assistant 

ALFRED WALKER 

Executive Assistant 

NOLA WHITE 

First Assistant Attorney General 

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