When using your turn signal, you should

Q: What is the most important thing to remember about using turn signals?

Youre going to want to signal long before you need to be in the other lane. Its unsafe to frantically turn on your signal as you approach the time you need to be in the other lane to turn. Make sure that you indicate your intention and wait for someone behind you to let you in – dont be impatient to get over.

Your best bet to avoid confusion is to always use your blinker, regardless of the situation.

Table of Contents Show

Dangers of Not Using Turn Signals
Signal In Advance
Signal Each and Every Time
Signal Before You Brake
Technology and Turn Signals
When should you use your turn signal?
When should you use your turn signals quizlet?
What is the most important thing to remember about using turn signals?
How do you use your turn signals while driving?

"New year. New you. Use your blinker."

A billboard here in Phoenix has gotten a lot of attention online.

We all probably know at least one person who needs to adopt that mantra as their New Years' Resolution.

When do you have to use your blinker?

12 News' sister station WFMY investigated what the laws for turn signals are in North Carolina.

Sgt. Sam Epps with the Burlington Police Department says your best bet to avoid confusion is to always use your blinker, regardless of the situation.

"I would recommend getting in to the practice of using your turn signal every time you turn. Whether you're changing lanes, turning in to a parking lot, turning out of a parking lot, turning off of a road on to a road,” said Epps. “It's just the best practice to get in to at all times to use your turn signal. It's an easy habit to get into."

You can get in trouble with the law for not using your blinker, including facing fines, a mark on your record, or even hundreds in court costs.

Epps says tricky places like turn only lanes become problematic because drivers get confused, panic, make a mistake, and cause a crash.

"We've seen multiple accidents both on the interstates and on local roads involving multiple cars just because one person decided not to use their turn signal,” said Epps.

In North Carolina, using your turn signal is the law -- but not in every situation.

For instance, Epps says you don't have to use your blinker in a turn only lane like the Wendover Ave East exit off Benjamin Parkway.

The reason that drivers are not required to use their blinker in that situation is because a vehicle who is following should know that the car in front of them will be making a turn.

The law is also complicated when it comes to changing lanes.

Epps says if you're three or four car lengths ahead of traffic, you're not required to set a turn signal before you change lanes.

But if traffic is tighter, Epps says you need to set your blinker when you change lanes, because your move could impact the other cars on the road.

What percentage of the time would you say you use turn signals before making a turn or changing lanes on the road?

Some drivers view turn signals as a courtesy, but their use is actually required by law. Turn signals provide an effective means of communication to let other drivers know where you are going so that they can act accordingly. By communicating with vehicles that are both behind you and in front of you, you’re doing your part to keep everyone safe on the road.

Dangers of Not Using Turn Signals

According to a driving habits study conducted by The Society of Automotive Engineers, nearly two million automobile crashes in the U.S. are attributed to failure to use turn signals. This is actually more than the number of auto accidents attribute to distracted driving! An estimated 25 percent of drivers don’t use their turn signals while turning and about 48 percent of drivers don’t use them when changing lanes. Here are some pieces of advice about how to effectively use turn signals on the road.

Signal In Advance

To give motorists around you enough time to see your signal, plan to flip on your turn signals approximately 100 feet ahead of you while driving in town. If you’re exiting off of a highway or changing highway lanes, plan to signal even further in advance.

Signal Each and Every Time

Using turn signals should come naturally to drivers, and using them should be as easy as applying the gas and the brake pedal. Get into the good habit of using your turn signal each and every time you drive, even if you don’t see any other drivers around you at that time. Turn signals are also very helpful to bicyclists and pedestrians who are sharing the road with you.

Signal Before You Brake

It’s important to flip on your turn signal before applying your vehicle’s brakes. This lets drivers behind you know why you are braking so that they can slow down behind you with enough room to stop, if necessary. Turn signals also help warm drivers who are in your blind spot that you are planning to alter your driving course. Always signal before you turn to make sure the path is clear to turn or change lanes.

Technology and Turn Signals

Because of the high crash rates associated with the lack of turn signal usage, some automobile engineers are looking into “smart turn signals” that remind drivers to use signals when changing directions. The technology would be “the perfect complement to the stability control system since stability control predominately prevents single-vehicle crashes, whereas the smart turn signal prevents multivehicle crashes,” explained Richard Ponziani, president of RLP Engineering. Will high tech turn signals features soon come to the rescue of forgetful drivers? It sure seems like this is the direction of future driving!

Categorized in: How-To, Laws, Safety, Tech, Teens

When should you use your turn signal?

Always signal when turning left or right, changing lanes, slowing down, or stopping. Signaling lets other drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians know your intentions.

When should you use your turn signals quizlet?

A turn signal must be given whenever a turn is made to the right or the left. You must give a continuous turn signal for an adequate distance to alert other drivers before turning.

What is the most important thing to remember about using turn signals?

You're going to want to signal long before you need to be in the other lane. It's unsafe to frantically turn on your signal as you approach the time you need to be in the other lane to turn. Make sure that you indicate your intention and wait for someone behind you to let you in – don't be impatient to get over.

How do you use your turn signals while driving?

On most cars, the turn signal lever is located to the left of the steering wheel. Shifting the lever up indicates a right turn and shifting it down indicates a left turn. Your turn signal should turn off after a turn or a lane change, but if it does not, you should turn it off manually, as soon as possible.