I belong to an elite group of people. I use my turn signals. True, I sometimes signal later than I should; and true I sometimes don’t turn my signal off, but I make a concerted effort to comply. If I failed to use a turn signal and someone honked at me I would be chagrined.
There are 2 million accidents a year because many people fail to use their turn signals. Which causes more accidents: distracted driving or failure to use turn signals? Over twice the amount of accidents are caused by turn signal deniers.
“A 2006 survey conducted by Response Insurance in which 57 percent of American drivers admitted not using turn signals when changing lanes. Among drivers 18 to 24, 71 percent said they don’t use their signals.”
“Turn signal technology has gone largely unchanged since the 1940s, when engineers first built a mechanism into the steering column that automatically shuts off the signal after the driver completes a turn. But that mechanical switch can fail when you merge into traffic or change lanes, which is why the Cadillac in front of you has been signaling left for the past 47 miles (76 kilometers).” – https://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/7-bad-reasons-why-people-dont-use-their-turn-signals.htm
In most states the rear driver in a multi-car accident usually gets the blame . . . and the ticket. However, if you can prove the driver in front didn’t use their turn signal, then you have plenty of room to rebut and claim the front driver created an unavoidable driving hazard by not signaling.
Recently, I dropped my wife off at Safeway in the Proctor District and tried to turn onto North 25th. The truck in front of me stopped because the car in front of him stopped. Luckily, I kept an eye on the truck. Soon he was backing towards my Volvo grill. The car in front of him was trying to maneuver and back into a parking slot when every other car on the street had parked head-on. I laid on the horn as I shifted into reverse and looked at my review mirror. Perhaps, turn signal lights should flash when traveling in reverse . . . automatically. My all electric ZENN had a back-up buzzer to warn people.
Possibly I’m concerned about a problem that will disappear in a year or two when everyone has a self driving AI electric car. Perhaps the self-driving cars are much, much smarter than some of the clowns driving around now.
A couple of observations I’ve made regarding this “new” problem….
1. It appears the newer, more expensive cars (e.g., BMW, Audi, Acura, Infinity, etc.) have had a recent design change…removal of the turn-signal lever. I say this because I rarely, if ever see that device in use in said vehicles.
2. In older, less-expensive vehicles I attribute the non-use of the turn-signal device to the over-use of the left-hand to hold the cell phone against the driver’s ear (oh…wait, that’s illegal too!!). This act removes the driver’s left hand from making the critical move of pulling down or pushing up that apparently useless piece of equipment in the proper manner.
In any case…whomever you are or what you drive, you still have the use of your left arm sticking out the driver’s-side window and making the appropriate and lawful hand/arm signal…oh, wait what if it’s raining?
Oh wait….if you can use your left arm to throw trash outside of your vehicle with abandon (thereby proving THAT part of your body IS operational), then you can most assuredly use it to let the people around you know that you are going to go in another direction other than straight ahead !!!!
Eric,
Thanks for reading and commenting . . . I love observations!
Thank god it never rains here in the Pacific Northwest, so I doubt that wet arms are the problem with signaling. I’ve taken to waiting to make sure before pulling out into traffic. Unfortunately AI hasn’t trickled down, yet . . . and depending upon general intelligence doesn’t seem to be working too well.
Thanks for sharing.
Don
Hi Don…you probably noticed I had a lot of fun making that comment, plus the opportunity to vent on this particular issue…no, PROBLEM is the better word, so thanx !!
Actually, I could probably write a small book…non-fiction of course…on all the crap I see on the roads. My wife could tell you I come reeaaallyyy close to the “road rage” stage when particularly egregious acts of non-compliance of traffic laws occur in/around me.
Please bear with me now……since 2012 I’ve been trying to get the city of Lakewood to put in “speed humps” on Lake Louise Drive. The speeding is so bad on our street that its name should be changed to Lake Louise Speedway !!
The speed limit is 25 mph., and we see it ignored all of the time (2017 city Speed Tube Results showed one person went over 85 miles-per-hour !!!!!!).
Because the situation had gotten increasingly worse I decided to do something about it, and have attempted in 2012, 2015, and 2017 to get full resolution on this problem with only limited help for the City of Lakewood.
I would like to share with you the history of what has happened thus far. If you are interested to see what little the city has done since 2012 to completely rectify this problem, please email me. ekc
Eric,
No, I’ll pass on the email . . . but send the info along to my friend Don Anderson.
I like the old expression, “I fell your pain my brother.” Traffic I think is driving everyone crazy . . . and it’s a short trip. For Lake Louise Drive . . . you might buy a construction yellow/orange vest . . . wear an old video camera around your neck and aim a hair dryer at speeding automobiles – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5aE8RhIqaU. It might slow people down, and you might have multiple belly laughs for hours at a time. If you do it, make sure you get a photo or two of yourself . . . and I’ll write a follow up article!
Good luck.
Don
p.s. If you get two friends to help have one half-laying down on the hood of a car with arms behind their back. Have the second friend wearing a black jacket and holding an open billfold so it looks with the person is reading the other friends their rights . . .
D
Tooooo funny !!! But……an interesting idea about the hair dryer…..hmmmmmmm. Thanx, ekc
Oh I know exactly what you are talking about. I found it absurd when the city mailed us letters about testing for speed reduction measures. When I read that the signs that flash the drivers speed actually resulted in an increase in speed – I knew exactly what measure would be taken on 104th street. Indeed no speed humps – or bumps. Just those stupid signs that make it look like the city has taken action. Why the H@$% can’t we get measures that will actually do something? “It’s too expensive” but we have buckets of money to pay for rental inspection program….
My turn signal informs other drivers of what is happening.
It is not asking their permission.
I check my turn and brake signals every few days to see if they are working properly, and repair them right away if they don’t.
P Rose,
Thanks for sharing.
We’ve owned four Buick Centuries (all the same style – two brand new and two slightly used) and each one had the same problem of needing to replace the right turn-signal every six months or so. It could be that masses of people, unlike your grab the bull by the horns and turn signals attitude, are driving around with inoperative equipment. However, I assume the worst . . . and believe that some people just find communication beyond them and make non-signally a freedom right . . . or left.
Thanks, again for reading and commenting.
Don
Thank you, Don, for putting into words what I have been thinking for so long. I keep observing that pretty much only 1 in four drivers use their turn signals (reverse comes up automatically in most thank goodness!!!). I sometimes wonder whether those people think that everybody around them is psychic and knows in advance where they intend to go. Just because I can see the big “Me-me-me” sticker that is invisibly attached to their vehicle, too.
I have tried to make the use of turn signals a habit,both for turning and changing lanes.
This may appear silly to people who noticed a big arrow in the lane pointing to the right or left, but for me habit means That I don’t have to think about this simple safety precaution.
V Jones,
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Once learned habits can keep you safe . . . and married . . . or even free from some auto accidents.
Thanks for sharing the good information. I find that life is easier if you don’t have to think . . . just react.
Please, continue reading articles and adding in content . . . it makes articles and stories better.
Thanks.
Don
I am a certified Back Seat Driver (my father gave it to me when I was 10. Many people turn on their turn signals but fail to turn into the nearest lane! Mainly exhibited on 112th coming on to Gravelly Lake Dr. (left) by Clover Park H.S. If you do it properly, you may hit the car that was behind you as you then move into the right lane to go ahead on Gravelly, that is now passing you on the right — even if you turn on your turn signal. Is this clear? Main point is—you don’t use two lanes to turn.
JoAnn,
Yes . . . my buddy Donn and I have wives that feel compelled to comment about short cuts . . . directions . . . and general driving statements that have us looking at each other and shrugging our shoulders. Peg’s backseat driving did help cease miles long turn signal . . . but since we bought a Volvo her comment to turn off the signal comes seconds before my hand in motion arrives at the switch.
Two lane people . . . we used to call them road hogs . . . maybe people still do . . . today I just think of them as wanderers. They vary from auto threateners to bicycler and pedestrian bowling ballers.
I think AI may alter driving habits. Perhaps, multiple tone horns would work: a slight beep for a simple wake-up alarm, to a definite honk for a pointed remark, and finally a loud foghorn to let people know they are inches from oblivion and scoring high on the irate-o-meter.
Keep spreading the news . . . and recommending turn signal use.
Don
I agree that the newer, more expensive vehicles, must come without directional signals.
Are you sure it isn’t more like one in eight that don’t use signals. How many times do you want to enter/cross a street and wait for cross traffic to proceed, only to find that they turn before getting to you?
If there is a law that requires signaling turns, either by hand signal or directional lights, wouldn’t it be nice if the police started ticketing individuals not signaling and publicize the results? I guess they are too busy giving out speeding tickets–not. How many times have you driven the speed limit and someone on your tail shows impatience, in one of many ways, and speeds passing you on the right? On the left, in the oncoming lane. Or???
Yesssssss….to all the stuff you have added to the list of ne’er-do-wells !!
Now, with respect to those impatient, self-centered drivers that hug your tail; flash their lights; and/or honk their horns while you obey the speed limit…….would you believe I have been passed TWICE while driving over the Interlaaken Street Bridge (Steilacoom Lake).
I was doing 25, the legal speed, and both drivers pushed past me immediately when getting onto the bridge. And, on one of those instances, there was oncoming traffic !!!
Agree with the “not” regarding the infraction-ticketing by our police force…I know they do ticketing, but certainly not enough.
Eric,
I used to fish off that bridge when I was in the fifth and sixth grade. It’s a short bridge . . . how much could you gain by passing someone? I do think speed limits could be raised on some major roads . . . along Ruston Way in the summer time there are too many tourists and looky-lus traveling five and ten miles an hour under the speed limit and then stopping to turn off into a parking lot on the opposite side.
OMG it’s late Friday afternoon and I’m getting all worked up . . . oh, well.
Drive safely . . . and use your turn signals . . .
Don
Troy,
I think it’s always been against the law to not signal otherwise chaos rules . . . much like now.
I also hate four way stops, which I think should be called two way stops . . . North/South move and then East/West moves. How difficult is that? But to wait for each lane to drive ahead just drives me crazy.
So many cars . . . so many distracted drivers . . . Thanks for reading and sharing.
Don