Can a vehicle be stopped and driver ticketed for defective equipment in Texas when third stop lamp inoperable
<p>In Texas, I believe S 547.323. governs stoplamps in a vehicle. Subsection a states in part "... a motor vehicle ... shall be equipped with at least two stoplamps."</p>

<p>Is it not legal (can a driver be ticketed) to allow the third, high mounted stop lamp to become inoperative?</p>

<p>Similarly, if the third high mounted stop lamp still works and one of the other stop lamps are not working?</p>

<p>Thirdly, what if on some older model Thunderbirds from the 1980s, the brake lamp consists of one large wrap-around red plastic encased solid assembly with about 6 distint and seperate bulbs inside of it, and one of those goes out?</p>

<p>Just curious. At various times in my life in Texas I've been stopped for each of those instances and either ticketed or given a warning.</p>

<p>I don't think this is duplicate with <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/17630/is-it-legal-to-pull-over-a-vehicle-in-oregon-for-having-a-tail-light-out-if-ther">this question</a> because it involves tail lamps in Oregon. </p>

<p>Yes because Texas adopted the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 571.108; TX Inspection Procedure Chapter 4, 04.20.28</p>

<p>Passenger cars manufactured 1986 – Newer: 3 stop lamps required
Light trucks/SUVs under 80” wide, manufactured 1994 – Newer: 3 stop lamps required
per DPS</p>

<p>Further Backed by Caselaw 
<a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/tx-court-of-appeals/1644657.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://caselaw.findlaw.com/tx-court-of-appeals/1644657.html</a></p>

criminal-law texas transportation