Stay Safe With Turn Signals: Understanding Oregon’s Turn Signal Laws

For any driver, turn signal use is easy enough and not that difficult of a task to do while operating a vehicle. Turn signals allow drivers to communicate to other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians what their intentions are in terms of where they are going to be driving their cars. As such, turn signals are critical to road safety.

When a driver does not use their turn signals or use them correctly, they put everyone around them in danger of harm. Many accidents are reported each year due to drivers failing to use their turn signals for one reason or another. Since it is essential that drivers follow the rules of the road, including properly using turn signals, when they fail to do so, they can be held accountable for the damages they cause to others when an accident takes place. If you were injured because of a negligent driver in Oregon, you can have your case evaluated by a Portland car accident attorney at the Rosenbaum Law Group.

Complying with Oregon’s Turn Signal Laws 

Oregon’s turn signal laws are pretty straight forward and easy to understand. Drivers must put their turn signals on when they are at least 100 feet away from a turn or before they change lanes. If a driver is parked and ready to reenter traffic, they must use their turn signal before doing so and keep their turn signal on long enough so that oncoming traffic can see that they will be moving into the roadway.

It is possible to use hand signals during the day if you are not driving a wide, large, or long vehicle. However, turn signal lights must always be used at night and when weather conditions cause poor visibility.

Despite the ease of using turn signals and the laws surrounding them being uncomplicated, it is not uncommon for drivers not to use their signals. In some cases, when an unexpected or quick turn needs to be made or when a driver is traveling along a familiar route, they may forget to use their turn signals. Other times, if an anxious and aggressive driver experiences road rage, they may not use their signals to get ahead of or cut others off. Or, drivers may simply choose not to use their signals because they don’t feel like doing so. Surprisingly, as high as 23% of drivers are estimated to not bother with turn signals out of laziness.

Speak to an Oregon Car Accident Attorney Today 

It is not difficult to use your turn signals when you drive, and this is also the law. When you use your turn signals, it keeps traffic flowing more smoothly and reduces the chances that accidents can happen, keeping everyone on the road safer. However, since there are a lot of drivers who do not use their turn signals, there is an increased risk of being in an accident, and when this happens, those who were harmed may be entitled to compensation.

For more information and help with an Oregon car accident claim, please call the experienced Portland personal injury lawyers at the Rosenbaum Law Group today at (503) 288-8000. Initial consultations are complimentary.

Source:

oregon.gov/odot/dmv/pages/online_manual/study-section_3.aspx