(a) Required brakes shall operate on each wheel of a vehicle except:
(1) special mobile equipment;
(2) a vehicle that is towed as a commodity when at least one set of the towed vehicle’s wheels is on the roadway, if the combination of vehicles complies with the performance requirements of this chapter; and
(3) a trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer with a gross weight heavier than 4,500 pounds but not heavier than 15,000 pounds drawn at a speed of more than 30 miles per hour, if the brakes operate on both wheels of the rear axle.
(b) A truck or truck-tractor that has at least three axles is not required to have brakes on the front wheels, but must have brakes that:
(1) operate on the wheels of one steerable axle if the vehicle is equipped with at least two steerable axles; and
(2) comply with the performance requirements of this chapter.

(c) A trailer or semitrailer that has a gross weight of 15,000 pounds or less may use surge or inertia brake systems to satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a).
(d) Brakes shall be maintained in good working order and adjusted to operate on wheels on each side of the vehicle as equally as practicable.