Please Use Turn Signals!

Vehicle Code Sections


"People who are going places use turn signals!"


California Vehicle Code Section 22107: Turning Movements and Required Signals.

No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such a movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.


California Vehicle Code Section 22108: Duration of Signal.

Any signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning.


California Vehicle Code Section 24951: Turn Signal System.

(a) Any vehicle may be equipped with a lamp-type turn signal system capable of clearly indicating any intention to turn either to the right or to the left.
(b) The following vehicles shall be equipped with a lamp-type turn signal system meeting the requirements of this chapter.
(1) Motor trucks, truck tractors, buses and passenger vehicles, other than motorcycles, manufactured and first registered on or after January 1, 1958.
(2) Trailers and semitrailers manufactured and first registered between December 31, 1957 and January 1, 1969, having a gross weight of 6,000 pounds or more.
(3) Trailers and semitrailers 80 or more inches in width manufactured on or after January 1, 1969.
(4) Motorcycles manufactured and first registered on or after January 1, 1973, except motor-driven cycles whose speed attainable in one mile is 30 miles per hour or less.
The requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to special mobile equipment, or auxiliary dollies.
(c) Turn signal lamps on vehicles manufactured on or after January 1, 1969, shall be mounted not lower than 15 inches.


California Vehicle Code Section 24953: Turn Signal Lamps.

(a) Any turn signal system used to give a signal of intention to turn right or left shall project a flashing white or amber light visible to the front and a flashing red or amber light visible to the rear.
(b) Side-mounted turn signal lamps projecting a flashing amber light to either side may be used to supplement the front and rear turn signals. Side-mounted turn signal lamps mounted to the rear of the center of the vehicle may project a flashing red light no part of which shall be visible from the front.
(c) In addition to any required turn signal lamps, any vehicle may be equipped with supplemental rear turn signal lamps mounted to the rear of the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in its rearmost position.
(d) In addition to any required or authorized turn signal lamps, any vehicle may be equipped with supplemental rear turn signal lamps that are mounted on, or are an integral portion of, the outside rearview mirrors, so long as the lamps flash simultaneously with the rear turn signal lamps, the light emitted from the lamps is projected only to the rear of the vehicle and is not visible to the driver under normal operating conditions, and the lamps do not project a glaring light.


California Vehicle Code Section 25251: Permitted Flashing Lights.

(a) Flashing lights are permitted on vehicles as follows:
(1) To indicate an intention to turn or move to the right or left upon a roadway, turn signal lamps and turn signal exterior lamps permitted under Section 25106 may be flashed on the side of a vehicle toward which the turn or movement is to be made.
(2) When disabled or parked off the roadway but within 10 feet of the roadway, turn signal lamps may be flashed as warning lights if the front turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously.
(3) To warn other motorists of accidents or hazards on a roadway, turn signal lamps may be flashed as warning lights while the vehicle is approaching, overtaking, or passing the accident or hazard on the roadway if the front turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously.
(4) For use on authorized emergency vehicles.
(5) To warn other motorists of a funeral procession, turn signal lamps may be flahsed as warning lights on all vehicles actually engaged in a funeral procession, if the front turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously.
(b) Turn signal lamps shall be flashed as warning lights whenever a vehicle is disabled upon the roadway and the vehicle is equipped with a device to automatically activate the front turn signal lamps at each side to flash simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side to flash simultaneously, if the device and the turn signal lamps were not rendered inoperative by the event which caused the vehicle to be disabled.
(c) Side lamps permitted under Section 25106 and used in conjunction with turn signal lamps may be flashed with the turn signal lamps as part of the warning light system, as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a).
(d) Required or permitted lamps on a trailer or semitrailer may flash when the trailer or semitrailer has broken away from the towing vehicle and the connection between the vehicles is broken.
(e) Hazard warning lights, as permitted by paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) may be flashed in a repeating series of short and long flashes when the driver is in need of help.


Help support highway safety! Please Use Turn Signals!


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Created on April 3, 1996. Last updated at 11:20 PDT on August 26, 1996.
David W. Schultheis, San José, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, California, USA