Is it illegal in Arizona to not use your turn signal when turning?

Answer 1

It depends.

Arizona REVISED STATUTES REGARDING LANE CHANGES AND TURN SIGNALS

28-729. Driving on roadways laned for traffic

If a roadway is divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, the following rules in addition to all others consistent with this section apply:

1. A person shall drive a vehicle as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not move the vehicle from that lane until the driver has first ascertained that the movement can be made with safety.

safe

• not likely to be hurt or harmed in any way : not in danger

• not likely to be lost, taken away, or given away

• not likely to involve danger, harm, or loss

2. On a roadway that is divided into three lanes, a person shall not drive a vehicle in the center lane except when overtaking and passing another vehicle where the roadway is clearly visible and the center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance, or in preparation for a left turn or where the center lane is at the time allocated exclusively to traffic moving in the direction the vehicle is proceeding and is signposted to give notice of the allocation.

3. Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or designating those lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction regardless of the center of the roadway, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of every sign.

28-754. Turning movements and required signals

A. A person shall not turn a vehicle at an intersection unless the vehicle is in proper position on the roadway as required in section 28-751, or turn a vehicle to enter a private road or driveway or otherwise turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left on a roadway unless and until the movement can be made with reasonable safety. A person shall not so turn any vehicle without giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided by this article in the event any other traffic may be affected by the movement.

B. A signal of intention to turn right or left when required shall be given continuously during not less than the last one hundred feet traveled by the vehicle before turning.

C. A person shall not stop or suddenly decrease the speed of a vehicle without first giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided by this article to the driver of any vehicle immediately to the rear when there is opportunity to give the signal.

Legislative Intent.

Clearly it is not the intent of A.R.S. 28-754(A) to make a turn signal mandatory during every turn. A.R.S. 28-754(A) could have been drafted to read, "A person shall not so turn any vehicle without giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided by this article." It doesn't. Rather, the intent of the statute is to mandate the use of a turn signal "in the event any other traffic may be affected by the movement."

Example.

If you are driving a car and there are no others cars around whose movement would be affected by your failure to use a turn signal, you simply don't have to use it. For example, if you are driving and are in a left hand turn lane with no other vehicles on the road, and you want to make a left hand turn, do you need to use your turn signal? No. Traffic will not be affected in any way.

STATE OF Iowa v. KYLE GAVIN TROGE, gives us some hope that simply using a turn signal does not give law enforcement a reason to pull you over.

The Court of Appeals first noted that when there are two or more lanes going in the same direction, a turn signal is not required when changing lanes. It then noted that Kyle's changing lanes was done "in a safe and unremarkable manner, without any indication that the driver did not ascertain that it was safe to make a lane change."