Use your turn signal every time, it’s the law
Why don’t drivers use their signals? Is it sheer laziness, or just an extreme lack of consideration for others? If your hands are preoccupied by drinking coffee or illegally using a cellphone, that’s no excuse for breaking the law by not signalling. Under section 142 HTA, drivers are required to signal their intention to turn right or left, to move from one lane to another, to leave the roadway, or to move from a parked position. Drivers must first ensure the movement can be made in safety and, if any other vehicle may be affected by the movement, shall give a signal plainly visible to the other driver of the intention to make such a movement (emphasis appears in HTA). There’s a stop sign “T” intersection near my home. As I stop on the upward leg of the “T,” there’s often a driver to the left at the intersection, who has already come to a stop. Since they don’t signal, I’m forced to wait as it appears they intend to go straight through. The problem is that half of the time they turn right instead without ever signalling. So, I end up waiting needlessly when I could have gone through immediately, all because these individuals have no consideration for others. Other examples include exiting driveways or shopping plazas, and other types of road intersections. Basically, any instance where you wouldn’t have to wait if you knew from their signal where another approaching driver was going.
Yes, the law says you don’t have to signal if no one else will be affected, but if you live in civilization (i.e. pretty much anywhere in Ontario) then it’s a good idea to signal every time.
Changing lanes or turning without signalling is a two demeritpoint ticket even if done without incident.
In some jurisdictions, if you commit three HTA violations in rapid succession (i.e. speeding plus multiple unsignaled lane changes) police might lay a careless driving charge instead and let the courts figure it out. Email your non-mechanical questions to Eric Lai at wheels@thestar.ca. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.