When must you signal that you are turning to the right?
When must you signal that you are turning to the right?
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A.
Only if other traffic is approaching or following you
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B.
Always, and for at least two seconds before you turn
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C.
Always, and for at least three seconds before you turn
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The correct answer is C
Correct. Three seconds of signalling ensures that other road users will be aware of your intentions
Making a manoeuvre to the right has dangers for a number of reasons as you will be doing one or more of these things:
- Turning across traffic coming in the other direction
- Moving into a lane travelling in your direction where traffic might be driving or riding in your blind spot (particularly important for motorcyclists wearing a helmet, and heavy vehicle drivers with long vehicles)
- Moving out from being stationary into a line of moving traffic (i.e. there's a speed differential), in which case there could be vulnerable road users like cyclists in your blind spot, or traffic could be travelling towards you quicker than you perceive it to be
- Turning into a side road where other vehicles are waiting
- Turning into a side road where pedestrians might be on the road
- Overtaking another road user, in which case you could expose yourself to danger from traffic coming in the other direction or you could misjudge their speed or road position
- Turning across traffic from a side road.
Giving three seconds of signalling helps other road users see what you are doing. Of course, it's still your responsibility to pull out from an intersection, pull into traffic overtake, and take into account other road users' right safely.
