Texas: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Texas bans sirens, whistles and bells on ordinary vehicles, and says no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound.
A car must have a working horn that can be heard from 200 feet. No warning device, including a horn, may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, and sirens, whistles and bells are limited to emergency vehicles and commercial theft alarms. Train horns aren't named, but a typical train horn very likely fails the loud-or-harsh rule.
Conditions
- Horn must be audible from at least 200 feet
- No unreasonably loud or harsh sound or whistle
- Sirens, whistles and bells only on emergency vehicles or commercial theft alarms
- Horn may be used only when necessary for safe operation
What the law says
(b) A vehicle may not be equipped with and a person may not use on a vehicle a siren, whistle, or bell unless the vehicle is: (1) a commercial vehicle that is equipped with a theft alarm signal device arranged so that the device cannot be used as an ordinary warning signal; or (2) an authorized emergency vehicle that is equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell that complies with Section 547.702 (Additional Equipment Requirements for Authorized Emergency Vehicles). (c) A motor vehicle operator shall use a horn to provide audible warning only when necessary to insure safe operation. (d) A warning device, including a horn, may not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
Sources
- Tex. Transp. Code § 547.501 Mirror of official text · texas.public.law
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Phone
- (512) 424-2000
- Website
- dps.texas.gov
How bordering states compare
- Arkansas Allowed with limitsArkansas has no train horn ban, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
- Louisiana Allowed with limitsLouisiana bans horns that make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a typical train horn likely fails.
- New Mexico Allowed with limitsNew Mexico has no express train-horn ban, but every horn must make a harmonious sound, and sirens, whistles and bells are banned.
- Oklahoma Allowed with limitsOklahoma has no express train-horn ban, but no horn or warning device may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound.