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These are the new Texas traffic laws you need to know

More than 700 laws went into effect at midnight on September 1. Here are a few that will impact drivers in The Lone Star State.

DALLAS — It's official: 774 bills just became law in North Texas! 

Sept. 1 marks the day when most of the laws passed by the Texas Legislature officially go into effect. Catch up on all of the key laws here.

But several of the new laws are specific to Texas drivers and roadways. For those, we've got you covered.

Here are a few you should know about:

HB393 deals with drunk drivers and their victims. Under the new law, if you’re convicted of intoxication manslaughter – after killing a parent with a young child in the crash, you would then become responsible for paying child support for that child until they turn 18 or graduate high school.

Transportation officials are now allowed to temporarily change the speed limit. 

Legislators behind House Bill 1885 said the law could have prevented the deadly pileup on I-35 in Fort Worth back in 2021.

Officials are now allowed to change the speed limit during inclement weather or construction without approval from the state.

And a new law hopes to solve some of the issues we've dealt with across the state when it comes to illegal street racing and so-called "takeovers." 

House Bill 1442 enhances penalties for those taking part in illegal street racing, while House Bill 2899 allows vehicles used in illegal street racing to be impounded. 

The law removes the requirement that there has to be property damage or if someone suffering bodily injury for the vehicle to be impounded.

"Both of these laws will safeguard Texans from dangerous and illegal street racing," Abbott said at a bill signing ceremony in Fort Worth in August. "Texas is a law and order state. As long as I am governor, we will back the blue, protect our citizens, and ensure that law enforcement have the tools they need to secure our streets."

As always, if you have a traffic concern in your area, you can email us here.

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