Rule No.7

Use your signals.

A turn signal is what its name suggests: It's a means of a driver signaling his or her intention to turn the vehicle.
This is what they hammer into your head during driver training, but it's a rule that makes perfect sense. The idea of turn signals is to advertise your upcoming moves. It tells the drivers behind you what you are about to do. This avoids an accident because if you slow down, the tendency is for other drivers to try to go around you. By telling them that you're about to turn, they have a tendency to be more cautious.

Most places have laws about using turn signals. Their use is required when changing lanes or when turning. That's why they are called turn signals. However, use of turn signals does not give you the right-of-way. You still have to use caution and adhere to all traffic laws.

Back in the days before turn signals, drivers had to use hand signals to advertise their intentions. One had to stick ones hand out of the window. If you held your hand straight out, it indicated a left turn. Bending the hand up meant a right turn, and bending it down meant a slow or stop. Imagine people doing that now!

Most turn signals are located on the four corners of the vehicle and they are usually red at the back and white at the front. Sometimes they are located on top of the vehicle. Most turn signals flash. The modern turn signal was invented in 1938 and most countries require them on all vehicles.

Brake, turn signal, and emergency lights have been part of cars for a very long time. They are essential to prevent accidents. Drivers fail to use turn signals 25 % of the time that they turn and 48% of the time that they change lanes. Two million car accidents a year can be attributed to failure to use turn signals. This turns out to be more of a cause of accidents than distracted driving. Eventually, cars will be equipped with automatic turn signals because it's a serious safety issue.

Actually, cars soon will be auto-driven. That's coming and not a moment too soon. The only answer to avoiding traffic deaths is to take the idiot out of the driver's seat. No more drunk drivers, no more drivers falling asleep, no more distracted drivers; It'll be a new day of safety. All they have to do is figure out how to make robot cars safe.

Thanks for reading.