When you get a driver’s license, you’re allowed to drive in all 50 states.

This is despite the fact that every state has its own rules and regulations regarding cars and road travel. If you don’t believe us, ask anyone from New Jersey about the first time they had to pump their own gas.

While most people are able to drive from state-to-state without issue, there are always a few peculiarities in each state that can confuse newcomers. TikTok user Richard (@richieboi2017) learned this personally after moving from Denver, Colorado to Dallas, Texas.

What’s So Different About Dallas’ Traffic Lights?

In a video with over 23,000 views, Richard shows off what he says was his “biggest culture shock” upon arriving in Dallas from Denver.

What was this culture shock? As his video shows, it’s the traffic lights. The lights are horizontal, with a left turn lane halted by two, illuminated red arrows. 

For Richard, it seems that the extent of his surprise is down to the fact that the lights are horizontal. He does note in the caption that he “actually kinda prefer it.”

However, there are actually a lot of traffic light quirks in Texas of which drivers should be aware. Before your next trip down Lone Star State, it’s best to get acquainted with all of its on-the-road oddities.

Why Are There Two Red Lights?

Some watching this video may wonder why the left turn lane has been stopped with not one, but two red lights.

Why is this the case? On Reddit’s r/CivilEngineering, one highly-upvoted comment suggests that such layouts are for “both redundancy and emphasis.”

In the best case scenario, having a double red light stresses to drivers that they really shouldn’t turn at that moment. However, in the worst case — i.e. when the bulb on one of the lights goes out — there’s redundancy to ensure that drivers follow the rules and don’t put themselves or others in danger. No matter how many of the red lights are illuminated, the meaning does not change. 

While this isn’t necessarily Texas-specific, the state is among the most enthusiastic about the implementation of double red lights. For example, the city of Plano, Texas advertises on its website that it plans to use double red arrows on “all newly replaced signal heads for protected only left turns.”

Why Are The Lights Horizontal?

Drivers who are new to Texas may also notice that the lights are horizontal instead of vertical. This can take a little getting used to; rather than have a red light on the top, the red light is to the leftmost side, followed by yellow, then green.

Both horizontal and vertical traffic lights are allowed in the federal code in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). While Texas has both horizontal and vertical lights, the presence of horizontal lights may be jarring to someone who comes from a state like Washington where such lights are largely banned.

According to Axios, the reason that many cities in Texas opt for horizontal traffic lights is twofold. First, horizontal lights offer better vertical clearance. This means that the bar for the light can be lower and still allow large trucks to pass underneath.

The second has to do with wind. Strong winds can do significant damage to infrastructure like traffic lights. By mounting the lights horizontally, the drag is limited. This reduces the likelihood of the lights being destroyed or removed by a sudden gust.

There are some issues that come with these lights. For example, people with red-green colorblindness who are unfamiliar with the horizontal pattern traffic light. These people may struggle to determine when they’re supposed to stop and when they’re meant to go.

Some areas of Canada have remedied this by making the lights different shapes. This is not the case in Texas.

What Is ‘Dallas Phasing’?

The last quirk that drivers who are new to Texas may notice is something called “Dallas Phasing.” While it’s present in several parts of the United States, it’s most commonly found in Texas — specifically, the Dallas-Fort Worth area, from which the signal style gets its name.

To summarize, “Dallas Phasing” is one way that some traffic lights handle left turns. In a classic “Dallas Phasing” configuration, the left turn signal has five lights, including arrows and regular green and yellow lights.

If you’re about to be signaled for a protected left turn, a green left arrow will illuminate. When the protected turn is ending, a yellow left arrow will light up. Finally, once the turn is no longer protected, the light will switch to a regular green circle. This still allows drivers to turn left, but they must yield to oncoming traffic. 

If this sounds confusing, that’s because it is. Since 2009, the MUTCD has banned the construction of new Dallas Phasing lights, instead opting for a safer flashing yellow arrow configuration. Existing Dallas Phasing lights are allowed to stay up and be maintained. Although many municipalities have begun changing them out to reduce driver confusion.

Still, drivers in Texas may experience a few Dallas Phasing intersections. When they do, it’s important to follow the posted signs to ensure a safe turn.

We’ve reached out to Richard via TikTok direct message and commented on the post.

@richieboi2017 Yk what I actually kinda prefer it ?? #cultureshock #dallas #denver #car #fyp ♬ original sound – Richman12