Every on highway four wheeled vehicle is required to have them. They are very easy to use. They turn themselves off when finished, (at least in most vehicles). Motorcycles have them also, but they are a little harder to use. Everyone knows how to use them, and when they should. So why don't they use them consistently? What are we talking about? Turn Signals.
One of my pet peeves is a driver that do not use turn signals when changing lanes, merging or making a turn. Trucks, cars, pickups, SUV's and motorcycles, drivers seem to have forgotten the basic courtesy of using turn signals, for the most part. I'm not perfect and do forget once in a while, but I am very conscious about using them. I have even seen law enforcement officers changing lanes without using them, and they are the ones who are supposed to enforce one of the laws they themselves are breaking. Not all drivers fail to use them and I applaud those that do use their signals. I also have an issue with those that think one blink is good enough.
From the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, Title 49,part 393.5, the definition of a turn signal is "Lamps used to indicate a change in direction by emitting a flashing light on the side of a motor vehicle towards which a turn will be made." There are regulations of location and color of said lamps but we won't go into that.
While doing research for this, I looked at the laws of the lower 48 states of our great nation, (yes this took some time and no it was not an exciting read). I did learn some things that I will relay to you. I am using my own language here because not all states word their laws the same, but the idea is as follows. It is the law in all 48 states that a turn signal is to be used whenever a motor vehicle deviates from a marked or unmarked lane. This includes turn only lanes and reentering the traveled lanes from the shoulder. Changing lanes on an interstate highway for any reason also requires the use of turn signals. The signal is to be turned on 100 feet before the maneuver is to begin and remain on until the maneuver is completed, this varies with each state.
FMCSR 392.2 says you must comply with all of the state laws and the state laws come into play when not using a turn signal. One turn signal lamp out meets the CSA out of service criteria and can get you 6 CSA points. One account I read of in Connecticut, a woman was pulled over for making a left turn from a turn only lane without using her turn signals. Once she was stopped she was found to be intoxicated. This case went to the Ct. supreme court as she claimed she was not required to use turn signals from a turn only lane. The court ruled she was required to signal her intent to turn and gave the officer reasonable cause to stop her, find her impaired, and arrest her.
One way that we figured out that we didn’t use our turn signals as often as we should was when we installed a lane departure warning system. This unit warns of an impending lane departure while driving at speed, getting to close to the painted lane lines gives an audible alert to keep you where you need to be, in your lane. The unit will not give an alert if the turn signals are used. The unit will train you to be a safer, more courteous, and a better driver.
Moral is, use your turn signals every time you turn, change lanes, merge onto a highway or otherwise deviate from the lane you are in. It could save you from bigger troubles that you didn't know you were in for, like an inspection your not ready for. Let all us truckers be more conscious about using our turn signals, for our safety and the others on the road with us.