This is an interesting concept. To us, using the signal is common sense. Using the signal should be a natural reaction when making a change – a procedure that you do without even thinking about it.

Firstly, lets take a look at a definition of signal courtesy of dictionary.com:

anything that serves to indicate, warn, direct, command, or the like, as a light, a gesture, an act, etc.: a traffic signal; a signal to leave.

From this definition we see that the purpose of the signal is to let people know that something is going to change or that you are about to do something. When you are in you’re vehicle the signal is the only way for you to communicate with other drivers around you. That’s why the signal is such an important part of the driving experience.

We see it more and more on our roads these days where people are moving from lane to lane or making some sort of change and not using the signal. The signal allows you to warn / notify other drivers around you (whether behind or in front of you) that you are making a change. When should you use a signal you ask … let us tell you:

• When making a lane change (obviously)
• When you are going to turn onto another street; the rule of thumb is to turn on your signal about 5 seconds before the turn
• When deviating from a straight roadway; for example when taking the transfer from express to collector
• When turning into a plaza, mall, or anything that doesn’t constitute as a street, and yes, this includes your driveway too
• YES, even when you cut someone up; you should have the courtesy to at least signal

Too many people these days are forgetting one of the basic fundamentals of driving - use your signal. Letting people know what you are doing can go a long way and can help keep our roads safer. So next time you want to make a lane change, or get off on an exit, or whatever the case may be, use your signal.

Check out this post which talks about a certain type of driver and their inability to use the signal.