ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Central Florida residents become better drivers by being better educated.
Trooper Steve was asked Tuesday by a viewer named Jazmine, “If someone has their turn signal on, am I obligated to ‘let them in’ even if there is no room at the speed I am going?”
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“Because this question is so loaded, I will address turn signals and traffic as a whole,” Trooper Steve said. “We must remember that our turn signal is an indicator, meaning you are simply advising other drivers what you plan to do.”
He added that using a turn signal does not automatically give you the right of way into traffic.
“A driver using their turn signal and entering highway traffic would need to do their part in getting up to speed and properly merging into traffic,” Trooper Steve said. “If the opportunity did not present itself, then that driver would yield to the main traffic.”
He said the same situation would also apply when you’re sitting in traffic.
“Let’s say the driver behind you wants to make a right. Sometimes, we will get honked at because they want us to move forward a little bit,” Trooper Steve said. “To the drivers trying to make that right, I hate to tell you this but you are second in line.”
Trooper Steve said the driver with a turn signal on and looking to get into another lane must wait until it’s safe to get over.
“Honking at that other driver can cause them to violate the stop bar at a traffic signal or place their vehicle in a crosswalk,” he said. “Again, your turn signal is an indicator, not a right of way.”
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