Q: Do I have to use my turn signal, even if there is no one around? Do I have to keep my turn signal on when I’m stuck at a light at an intersection? After a while the blinking gets pretty annoying.
A: Is there a revolt brewing against the consistent use of turn signals? In the last few weeks it’s come up repeatedly in conversations I’ve had and in questions sent to me.
It seems like drivers wanted turn signals long before car manufacturers were willing to install them. In 1907 Percy Douglas-Hamilton applied for the first patent for turn signals. His system used lights shaped like hands, because at that time people used hand signals to indicate their turns. In 1914 Florence Lawrence invented a turn signal system. (Florence’s mother invented automatic windshield wipers; quite an innovative family.) Then there was the Protex Safety Signal Company in 1920, Edgar Waltz, Jr. in 1925, and Oscar Simler in 1929.
It wasn’t until 1939 that Buick became the first company to make turn signals available on their cars. Once one car-maker did it, everyone else wanted in and other companies rapidly followed. Initially they were an option, but by the mid-1950s they came standard on most cars. In 1965 Washington law made turn signals required equipment for cars, along with their use.
I bring up all this history just to make the point that turn signals have been standard equipment and state law for over 50 years. Why are we still asking if we need to use them?
But, you might argue, we can’t expect the law to anticipate every possible situation. In a scenario where not signaling would have no adverse consequences, do I still have to signal? I’ll let the Washington Supreme Court answer this one. The court was presented with the case of a driver who had signaled to enter a left turn lane and then shut of his turn signal. He made a left turn through the intersection without his turn signal activated. A state trooper then pulled him over, and during the investigation found his blood alcohol level to be more than three times the per se limit. The driver was, as you would expect, arrested.
The driver argued that the initial traffic stop was not warranted because the law states, “A signal of intention to turn or move right or left when required shall be given continuously . . .” The argument focused on the words “when required”, with the assumption that if there are times when signaling is required there must be times when it’s not required. Continuing this line of thinking the driver argued that a signal is only required when needed for safety. The district court originally agreed with him The case eventually made it to the supreme court, where the judges unanimously agreed that the plain reading of the law requires drivers to signal any time they turn or change lanes on a roadway. The “when required” phrase refers to the manner in which a signal is made (within 100 feet of turning).
Okay, so the letter of the law requires it, but if you choose not to use your turn signal when there is no one else around, does it actually matter? On the face of it, not really. There will be no one to annoy by your disregard of the law. There will be no one to confuse by not indicating your intention. There will be no one to write a ticket for failure to signal. Even though it’s the law, in that particular situation there would be no real consequences.
You could say the same thing about turning off your signal when you’re stuck in traffic and getting annoyed by the clicking sound while you wait for the light to turn green. If you’re not even moving, what’s the point of signaling? Well, if you’re more than 100 feet from your turn, you don’t actually have to signal. Either way, I’ll suggest signaling even when you don’t think you need to; it’s a way to build good driving habits. In high-stress situations you’ll perform like you practice, so using your turn signal even when it doesn’t seem necessary prepares you for the times when it really matters. Plus, there’s a lot of research showing that we’re not as good at assessing our driving environment as we think we are. You might not think anyone would benefit from your signal, but you might be wrong.
By the way, the rule about signaling within 100 feet of a turn works fine on city streets but isn’t that great and higher speeds. At 70 mph, a car travels 102 feet in one second. The law requires turn signals to blink at a rate of 60 to 120 blinks a minute, so if you signal 100 feet before making a lane change the best you can hope for is one or two blinks. The law sets the minimum standard, but we’re all welcome to signal sooner and do a better job of letting other drivers know our intentions.