The Right Way to Use Your Turn Signals

When Should You Use Your Turn Signals?

The Full List of Signal Moments

The short answer is: more often than you probably do. Signal any time you are about to change what your car is doing, including all of these:

• Turning left or right at an intersection
• Changing lanes
• Passing another vehicle
• Merging onto a roadway
• Pulling into or out of a driveway or parking spot
• Pulling over to the side of the road
• Exiting a roundabout

Signal even when the road looks empty. The vehicle you did not notice, the cyclist in your blind spot, the pedestrian stepping off a curb, those are exactly the situations where the habit saves you. If signaling is automatic, you never have to remember to do it under pressure.

How Far in Advance Do You Need to Signal?

Most states share the same core rule: you must signal continuously for at least the last 100 feet before you turn. That distance is written into traffic codes across the country and applies to both turns and lane changes.

Here is the catch drivers miss. At highway speed, 100 feet goes by in about a second, which is barely enough time for anyone to react. That is why the safer practice on the highway is to signal a few seconds ahead of a lane change or exit rather than counting feet. The legal minimum keeps you ticket-free; the extra warning keeps you from getting hit. Because the exact wording varies, confirm your own state's rule in your state driver handbook, and use the federal NHTSA road safety resources for the broader safe-driving principles.

A Quick Way to Picture 100 Feet

Judging distance from the driver's seat is harder than it sounds, so use landmarks. An average car is about 15 feet long, so 100 feet is roughly six to seven car lengths. On a highway, a standard dashed lane line plus its gap runs about 40 feet, so 100 feet is about two and a half of those dashed cycles.

How Do You Operate the Signal Lever?

Up for Left, Down for Right

On most vehicles, the signal lever sits on the steering column, just behind the wheel.

1. Push the lever up to signal a left turn.
2. Pull the lever down to signal a right turn.
3. Check that it canceled after you finish. A signal left blinking after your turn tells other drivers the wrong thing and is its own hazard.

What Are the Hand Signals, and When Do You Use Them?

Hand signals are your backup for when a bulb burns out, your lights are hard to see in bright sun, or another driver cannot read your blinkers. They are legal in most places, and they still show up on the written knowledge test, so they are worth knowing cold.

Left Turn

Extend your left arm straight out the driver's window.

Right Turn

Bend your left arm at the elbow with your hand pointing straight up.

Slowing or Stopping

Bend your left arm at the elbow with your hand pointing down, palm facing back.

Why This Small Habit Matters So Much

Signaling as a Social Contract

Signaling is a social contract. Every blink tells the drivers, riders, and walkers around you what is coming next, and predictability is what prevents crashes. Drivers who signal consistently make the whole road calmer and safer. It is a small thing that pays off every single trip. Sharpening habits like this one is the heart of a defensive driving course, which can also help with ticket dismissal or an insurance discount depending on your state.

For more on the habits that keep you safe and ticket-free, see the signs of aggressive driving, how to cut out distracted driving, our tips for passing the road test, and the full driving resource library.