SAE: Turn-Signal Neglect a Bigger Problem Than Distracted Driving

A new study by the Society of Automotive Engineers, in which 12,000 turning and lane-changing vehicles were observed with visible turn signal usage (or neglect) data recorded, shows that the neglect rate for lane changing vehicles is 48%, and the neglect rate for turning vehicles is 25%. "That translates to an astonishing 750 billion times a year that drivers neglect turn signals on U.S. roadways, or over 2 billion times per day. Each incident of neglect elevates the risk of a multi-vehicle crash."  While not every instance of turn signal neglect results in a crash, "the study concludes that the collective result of turn signal neglect is as many as 2 million crashes per year."  The U.S. Department of Transportation states that distracted driving causes about 950,000 crashes per year.  "While the causes and remedies to combat Distracted Driving remain a matter of ongoing debate, the remedy for Turn Signal Neglect is simple, direct, effective, and cost-saving: The singular cause is driver neglect and the solution is the Smart Turn Signal."  Read more.