Texas Funeral Procession Laws: What Drivers Should Know

(Texas) In Texas, do you have to pull over and stop for a funeral procession?

The answer to that question really surprised me.

Is Stopping for a Funeral Procession Required in Texas?

I typically pass a funeral home on my commute twice a day while on Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler. Occasionally, I will encounter a funeral procession leaving the funeral home on the way to a graveside service. While learning to drive, I was taught that you should pull off to the right side of the road and let the procession pass you by. Not only out of respect for the family of the deceased, but it was also state law.

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What Texas Law Actually Says About Funeral Processions

It turns out there is no specific law stating drivers must pull off to the side of the road to let funeral processions pass. According to Kraft & Associates Attorneys At Law, P.C. "drivers are not legally required to stop or yield the right-of-way to funeral processions. However, drivers are typically expected to offer this courtesy."

When You Must Yield to Police Escorts

Oftentimes, funeral processions are escorted by city police, sheriff deputies, constables, or other peace officers. The public has assumed throughout the years that it was the law to pull over and stop, and that's not the case. However, if a marked escort vehicle or officer indicates for you to yield, then you must comply. This could be at a major intersection or a side street where the funeral procession is passing through the intersection, then you'll need to stop.

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Why Courtesy Still Matters on the Road

Now that we know we are not required by law to pull over, we should still do it out of common courtesy and respect for that family. If you choose to pull over and wait, do so safely and remember that others may not make the same decision. You'll want to move off the road as much as possible to allow both the funeral procession to pass by, along with any other traffic that may not want to stop.