It would be almost impossible to find a driver in the United States who doesn’t have a story about a time they or someone else used their turn signal either improperly or not at all. Not all of these stories end tragically, but many times, they do.

According to research by the American Society of Automotive Engineers (ASDE), over 2 million accidents occur every year because of improper turn signal usage, which is even higher than the number of accidents caused by phone usage and other forms of distracted driving.

Let’s look at a few ways that the misuse of turn signals can lead to automobile accidents and what to do if you’ve been in such an accident either in a car or while riding a motorcycle.

No Turn Signal

The ASDE report also stated that in 25% of vehicle turns and 48% of lane changes, the driver fails to use their turn signal. It’s very easy to do, unfortunately, especially if the driver is lost in thought or is otherwise distracted. That’s why it’s the most common cause of turn signal-related accidents.

It’s important to always use the turn signal when changing lanes or making a turn to help avoid these dangerous accidents. It’s equally important to make sure that you’re following other cars at a safe distance.

If you’re driving too close and the other driver changes lanes unexpectedly, it might be difficult to prove to your insurance company that you weren’t at fault. Especially if you end up rear-ending the other vehicle, as most of the time you’ll be considered “guilty until proven innocent”.

Signalling in the Wrong Direction

Signalling left instead of right or vice versa is another major cause of automobile accidents and can happen more often than you might expect. You might think, “One is up, and the other is down. How could someone confuse them?”

Imagine you’re driving home from work and suddenly remember you need to stop at the grocery store for some milk. You come up to the intersection where you normally turn right to head home, but the store’s in the other direction. You instinctively put on your right turn signal like you always do, but end up turning left. Another driver might not yield if you’re signalling in the wrong direction.

Maintaining proper awareness and avoiding what’s often called “mental autopilot mode” is the best way to avoid these types of accidents. If you aren’t sure, it’s better to slow down, wait for the other vehicle’s wheels to start turning before going back to your previous speed. It might take 10 seconds longer to reach your destination, but safety is always more important.

Leaving Signal On Too Long

Leaving a turn signal on too long is the third major cause of turn-signal accidents, and most commonly occurs just after an intersection. Imagine a shopping center’s parking lot where the entrance and exit are located directly in the center of a city block. You’re turning left to head home.

Another driver makes a right turn at the intersection and starts heading towards the shopping center entrance. There are no other cars around, and you look up to see that their right turn signal is still on. If you assume that they’ll be turning into the lot, you might cross their lane of traffic towards the intersection.

However, if they simply forgot to shut off the turn signal and they’re going straight, you might get T-boned as you pull out. Always remember to turn off your signal immediately after you complete the turn. If you’re the other driver, you should always wait to see whether the person is actually turning or not before pulling out onto the street.

What to Do If You’ve Been in an Accident Caused by Improper Turn Signal Usage

If you’ve been in a turn signal-related accident, make sure to document everything as much as you can. Evidence often comes down to witness statements and police reports, so you’ll definitely want to mention to the officer that the other driver failed to signal properly.

Dash cams are a great way to prove your side of the story is true and that you weren’t at fault. They’re legal in all 50 states, but you’ll want to check your local laws for rules on placement, audio recordings, and privacy concerns. You’ll want to make sure the timestamp feature is enabled, and the video is encrypted if you plan on using it in court.

Provide the unedited recording to the police, your insurance company, and (if applicable) a good car accident lawyer as quickly as possible. If the video has been altered in any way, it might be considered inadmissible evidence, which can severely damage your claim. Without it, your case might be deemed a “he-said, she-said” situation where the court is unable to decide whose story is true.

How Turn Signals Can Cause Accidents

The most common causes of turn signal-related accidents are drivers failing to signal at all, signalling for the wrong direction, or leaving their signals on too long after completing the turn. These account for over two million accidents in the United States every year, making it even more dangerous than driving distracted, although the two are often connected.

The best way to avoid these accidents, other than remembering to always use your signal properly, is to maintain situational awareness by staying focused. You should be wary of other drivers and not automatically trust that they’re using theirs properly. Always make sure you’re maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles. It might take you a few extra seconds to go from Point A to Point B, but safety is more important.

You might consider having a dashcam installed as a preemptive measure, too. If you’ve been in a turn signal-related accident, make sure to document everything as much as possible. If you were riding a motorcycle at the time, you may need to consult with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney, especially if your insurance refuses to pay your claim because of another driver’s negligence.