Texas Transportation Code §545.062: following distance and rear-end crashes

The short answer

Texas Transportation Code §545.062(a) says a driver who is following another vehicle must "maintain an assured clear distance between the two vehicles so that, considering the speed of the vehicles, traffic, and the conditions of the highway, the operator can safely stop without colliding with the preceding vehicle or veering into another vehicle, object, or person on or near the highway" (Transp. Code §545.062). The statute sets no distance in feet or seconds. On a Texas crash report, an officer's opinion that a driver followed too closely is recorded as contributing factor code 44 (TxDOT code sheet CR-3CS).

This entry provides general informational guidance and is not legal advice.

Key facts (as of October 29, 2026)

• An assured clear distance. A driver following another vehicle must keep enough distance to stop safely without hitting it, considering speed, traffic and highway conditions (§545.062(a)).
• No fixed number. The statute does not state a distance in feet, car lengths or seconds.
• Trucks and caravans. Outside a business or residential district, trucks following trucks and vehicles in a caravan or motorcade must leave room for another vehicle to enter the space (§545.062(b)-(c)).
• A traffic offense. Failing to perform an act the rules of the road require is an offense, generally a misdemeanor (§542.301).
• On the crash report. Code 44 in list 38 is "Followed Too Closely" (CR-3CS).
• Last amended in 2017. The history line for §545.062 lists Acts 2017, 85th Leg., ch. 19 (H.B. 1791) as its most recent amendment.

What does §545.062 say?

The official text of Tex. Transp. Code §545.062, as published by the Texas Legislature:

Sec. 545.062. FOLLOWING DISTANCE. (a) An operator shall, if following another vehicle, maintain an assured clear distance between the two vehicles so that, considering the speed of the vehicles, traffic, and the conditions of the highway, the operator can safely stop without colliding with the preceding vehicle or veering into another vehicle, object, or person on or near the highway.

(b) An operator of a truck or of a motor vehicle drawing another vehicle who is on a roadway outside a business or residential district and who is following another truck or motor vehicle drawing another vehicle shall, if conditions permit, leave sufficient space between the vehicles so that a vehicle passing the operator can safely enter and occupy the space. This subsection does not prohibit a truck or a motor vehicle drawing another vehicle from passing another vehicle.

(c) An operator on a roadway outside a business or residential district driving in a caravan of other vehicles or a motorcade shall allow sufficient space between the operator and the vehicle preceding the operator so that another vehicle can safely enter and occupy the space. This subsection does not apply to a funeral procession.

(d) An operator of a vehicle equipped with a connected braking system that is following another vehicle equipped with that system may be assisted by the system to maintain an assured clear distance or sufficient space as required by this section. In this subsection, "connected braking system" means a system by which the braking of one vehicle is electronically coordinated with the braking system of a following vehicle.

Source: Tex. Transp. Code §545.062, statutes.capitol.texas.gov. Text last checked October 29, 2026.

What does it mean in plain language?

• The rule is about stopping in time. Subsection (a) measures the distance by one test: whether the following driver can safely stop without colliding with the vehicle ahead, or swerving into another vehicle, object or person on or near the highway.
• Conditions change the distance. The statute names three things to consider: the speed of the vehicles, traffic, and the conditions of the highway. It does not give a number, so the required distance is not the same in every situation.
• Trucks get a second rule. Subsection (b) applies to a truck, or a vehicle pulling another vehicle, that is following another truck or towing vehicle on a roadway outside a business or residential district. If conditions permit, it must leave a gap that a passing vehicle can safely move into. The subsection says it does not prohibit passing.
• Caravans and motorcades. Subsection (c) sets the same kind of gap rule for a driver in a caravan or motorcade outside a business or residential district, and says it does not apply to a funeral procession.
• Connected braking. Subsection (d) allows a vehicle with a connected braking system following another vehicle with that system to be assisted by it in keeping the required distance or space.

What other rules sit next to it?

• Staying in a lane. On a roadway divided into two or more clearly marked lanes, a driver "shall drive as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane" and "may not move from the lane unless that movement can be made safely" (§545.060(a)).
• Speed. A driver "may not drive at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances then existing", and shall control the speed of the vehicle as necessary to avoid colliding with another person or vehicle that is on or entering the highway in compliance with law and the duty of each person to use due care (§545.351(a)-(b)).
• Reckless driving. A person commits an offense if the person "drives a vehicle in wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property". The section sets its own penalty, which can include a fine, confinement in county jail, or both (§545.401).
• The general offense. Chapter 545 is part of Title 7, Subtitle C of the Transportation Code, the rules of the road. "A person commits an offense if the person performs an act prohibited or fails to perform an act required by this subtitle", and, except as otherwise provided, the offense is a misdemeanor (§542.301). For an offense with no other penalty, §542.401 sets a general fine range (§542.401).
• Civil claims are separate. A traffic rule says what a driver must do. Whether and how a violation matters in a civil injury claim is not stated in §545.062; Texas's rules on dividing responsibility among the people involved are in chapter 33 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, which the §33.001 entry quotes.

How does a crash report record it?

• The officer's report. A law enforcement officer who in the regular course of duty investigates a motor vehicle collision that resulted in injury to or the death of a person, or damage to the property of any one person to the apparent extent of $1,000 or more, must make a written report (§550.062(a)), on a form approved by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Safety (§550.063). That form is the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report, CR-3.
• Code 44. In the code sheet's list 38, Factors and Conditions, code 44 is "Followed Too Closely". Nearby codes include 20, Driver Inattention, 22, Failed to Control Speed, and 4, Changed Lane when Unsafe (CR-3CS, 4/1/2023).
• How TxDOT defines code 44. TxDOT's CR-100 instructions describe factor 44 as "When a vehicle fails to maintain an assured clear following distance that allows the operator to safely stop without colliding with the preceding vehicle or veering into another vehicle, object, or person" and list "Texas Transportation Code: Section 545.062 (a)" beside it (CR-100, §4.6).
• An opinion, not a charge. TxDOT's CR-100 instructions label the contributing factors "Investigator's Opinion" and say the section "is designed for the investigating officer to determine which factor(s) or condition(s) contributed to the crash for each unit. The officer may not have enough evidence to file a traffic charge, but does have enough data to render an opinion as to the contributing factors of the crash" (CR-100, §4.6).
• Reading the codes. The guide to reading a Texas crash report explains the other fields and code lists.

What applies in Houston and Harris County?

Chapter 545 applies statewide, including on Houston streets and Harris County freeways; no separate City of Houston or Harris County following-distance rule was found. A crash that an officer of the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff's Office or another agency investigates is reported on the same state-approved form (§550.063). The Houston crash report guide lists how each local agency says to request a copy.

When was this checked, and can it change?

The text above was last checked on October 29, 2026, against the official text published by the Texas Legislature, and the TxDOT code sheet and instructions were read the same day. The Legislature can amend a statute in any session. It convenes in regular session on the second Tuesday in January of each odd-numbered year (Gov't Code §301.001), so the next regular session begins on January 12, 2027. This entry is scheduled to be rechecked against the official text by April 2027 and again after the 2027 regular session ends.

Related guides

• What to do after a car accident in Texas
• How to read a Texas crash report (CR-3)
• The Texas 51% rule, explained
• Proportionate responsibility: the §33.001 entry
• Right-of-way at intersections: the §545.151 entry
• Truck accidents on Texas highways
• Texas car crash law reference: all entries
• Car accident information for Houston

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