Road Rules: Yes, you need to use your turn signal

William Hudson Bunker

February,

Question: I have a question that doesn’t seem to be either legal or illegal, but more of a right thing to do. When you face a situation in two-lane traffic where you must enter the lane of oncoming traffic, is it necessary to signal that you’re moving back into the correct lane again? For example, when a police officer has someone pulled over and they’re blocking the lane. I have had debates about this and have been told signaling is not necessary nor is it a law.

Answer: This question proves it’s true that sometimes things are not what they seem (at least if it seems legal to you to not signal when changing lanes). I get where you’re coming from. If you move into the oncoming lane to pass an ambulance at a roadside emergency, who are you signaling for as you return to your lane? Even so, if you think that signal isn’t required, you’re on the wrong side of the law.

Sometimes we don’t know the law because it’s confusing. Case in point: signaling in roundabouts. The last time I wrote about that topic, I got responses from multiple readers telling me that the law requires drivers to signal in a roundabout and explaining the exact process for doing so. The problem was that I got four different explanations on how to signal in a roundabout, and each one was in conflict with the other.

But sometimes we don’t know the law because, as Mark Twain is supposed to have said, “A falsehood travels around the world while the truth is still pulling on its pants.” Twain (or Winston Churchill, or Thomas Jefferson, or one of many other falsely attributed quotable folks) didn’t come up with that phrase; it’s been around for centuries. I can’t resist acknowledging the irony of a quote about truth being falsely attributed.

To counter those who told you signaling isn’t necessary, here’s the opening line of the the law on turn signals (abridged for clarity): “No person shall turn a vehicle or move right or left upon a roadway … without giving an appropriate signal.”

In case you think there’s room in the law for a little flexibility, the Washington Supreme Court has determined that there is not. In a ruling on the topic, the court concluded that even if there’s no one else on the road, and even if you’re in a dedicated turn lane, the law still requires you to use your turn signal.

Let’s say the law isn’t enough for you. Maybe you’re a maverick and you need a reason beyond the state’s equivalent of your parents telling you, “Because I said so.” I have one. You perform how you practice. If you’re deciding whether to signal or not in lowstakes driving scenarios (like you described), you’re training your brain to make that decision in high-stakes situations too. It’s a small cognitive load, but in a high-stress driving situation, you want to unload as many of those processes as you can to the automatic parts of your brain and leave the decision-making circuits free to quickly determine the right choice.

We have a limited number of communication tools available when driving, and if you forget your turn signal in the stressful situation of trying to, say, merge right on a busy freeway to get to your exit, you might find yourself sharing the same coordinates with another car. Automate that process so it always happens when you most need it. The law requires you to always signal when changing lanes, and it’s the right thing to do.

Doug Dahl is a manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Region 11 and publishes TheWiseDrive.com.

William Hudson Bunker “Bill” died of cancer on April 18, 2023. He was 85. Perhaps even more than his many passions and noteworthy achievements, the true testament to Bill’s greatness was reflected by his diverse group of friends. His ability to embrace so many people, and viewpoints different from his own, was connected to his deep curiosity about the big questions. He loved a thoughtful conversation and all things that might spark one, including op-eds from The New York Times, Far Side comics by Gary Larson, and a vast array of YouTube videos, documentaries, and classic films. Bill was an anesthesiologist and an avid hobbyist astronomer and astrophotographer. He enjoyed the pursuit of noteworthy astronomical events around the world, including a wonderful trip near Bend, Oregon, in August 2017 to share the experience of a total solar eclipse with family and friends. He planned the trip two years in advance with his wife, Darleen, even scouting out the perfect spot that would offer an optimal view without the crowds. Happily, on the morning of the eclipse, the sky was clear! It was an unforgettable event, as rare and special as Bill himself.

Born in 1938 in Columbia, Missouri, he was the fourth child of Margaret and Herbert Bunker. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1960 with a BS in Physics and a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army Artillery. After six months on active duty at the Army’s Artillery School at Fort Sill, OK, he was hired by the U.S. Weather Bureau to work as a technician at Hallett Station in Antarctica from October 1961 to February 1963. Today, that adventure is commemorated by Bunker Bluff on the west wall of Mariner Glacier, a landmark bestowed by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names.

After his adventure at the South Pole, Bill returned to the University of Missouri to earn an MS in Physiology in 1965 and an MD degree in 1970. His intern year was served at St. John’s Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, followed by the anesthesia training program at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. In 1973 he entered private practice with an anesthesia group in south Seattle and in 1975 joined the anesthesia group at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, until 1998.

Once retired, Bill moved with Darleen to Birch Bay, where he pursued his many hobbies, which in addition to star gazing, included his great love for classical music and enjoying his incredible record collection. He created beautiful stained glass windows, constructed a home theater and a backyard observatory, and enjoyed roasting his own coffee blend. He was a member of the Whatcom Association of Celestial Observers, serving as both president and secretary. He loved to set up his telescope alongside fellow club members to share the beauty of the sky with passersby in community parks in Whatcom County.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Margaret Bunker, and his siblings Herbert Bunker Jr., Virginia Cornelius, and Jean Huff. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Darleen Bunker, and children Virginia, Patrick (Allison), Joe, and Peggy (Mike), along with his grandchildren Hudson, Beau, and Isabella.