One of the most important aspects of driver safety is notifying others around you what your intentions are. The best way to do this is by using your turn signal. Recent studies have shown that people are using them less and less. Signaling before you make a move on the road communicates your intentions to drivers both in front of you and behind you. This communication is an effective tool to help prevent accidents.

Dangers of Not Using Your Turn Signal

A recent study by The Society of Automotive Engineers on the driving habits of Americans unveiled some telling statistics concerning the dangers of failing to signal. According to the study:

Drivers neglect to use their turn signals roughly 750 billion times a year.
Drivers don’t use their turn signal 25 percent of the time when making a turn.
Drivers don’t use their turn signal 48 percent of the time while changing lanes.
Drivers neglect to turn off their turn signals 48 percent of the time after changing lanes.

What’s more, almost 2 million car crashes in the U.S. can be attributed to drivers not using their turn signals properly. Believe it or not, this is more than double the number of accidents attributed to distracted driving.

The Future of Turn Signals

Due to the growing concern over turn signal misuse, researchers at The Society of Automobile Engineers are calling for the installation of “Smart Turn Signals” on all automobiles. These devices would cause a turn signal to automatically deactivate after a short amount of time, as well as issue a subtle dashboard warning/reminder if a driver forgets to use their indicators.

You can take our online class to learn more about traffic laws.

So remember to let others know what your planning and as always DRIVE SAFE!!!