This evening, as you’re on your way home from work, here’s a little game to play: Try counting all of the people who cut in front of you or someone near you without using a turn signal.
Just make sure you’re not one of the offenders.
Using a turn signal is one of those driving maneuvers that we might think of as optional, but is really a legal requirement. But if we’re on the phone, or trying to make the kids be quiet in the back seat, or taking a sip of coffee, signaling is one of the things we might neglect to do.
Is it distracted driving, aggressive driving, bad driving or all of the above?
“When there are less cars around, you feel like you don’t need to tell the world where you’re moving, but then you get in the habit of not using your signal,” said Greg Fitch, a research scientist at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. “Then when you need to do it, you don’t.”
In a metro area like Atlanta, where driving is mandatory for most people, the turn signal is just about the only way to civilly and legally let another driver know your intent.
So are you telling other people what you’re going to do or are you making them guess?
» Read the full story on our premium website, MyAJC.com
About the Author
