When Did Directional Signals Become Mandatory In The US?

[Junkman]

Seeing that hardly any pre-war cars had them and most post war cars do, my guess is 1945, if they became mandatory at all and not just voluntarily supplied by the auto makers.

This raises another question:

Seeing that pre war cars produced for the domestic market didn't have trafficators either, how did one indicate the intention to make a turn or lane change?

[trogdor]

Hand signals were used to indicate direction or lane changes. Sticking your left arm straight out would indicate a left turn and bending the arm at the elbow straight up would indicate a right turn. When they became mandatory, I have no idea.

[Drgon63]

you mean all cars have them now....??? by the way there not used by a lot of drivers i thought they were an option.....or a delete option....lol....

all kidding aside hand signals would be my guess as how they would indicate the direction they needed to go....

[Junkman]

So effectively, you had to roll down your window to indicate? Sounds like a rather unpleasant proposition in inclement weather.

[crazyjim]

Old VW's had little arms stick out of the body. Semiphores??

[Junkman]

Old VW's had little arms stick out of the body. Semiphores??

Yes, but they aren't American cars. All cars had trafficators in Europe before directional signals became mandatory. US imports were fitted with them to make them road legal.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Junkman

[MicroNitro]

1952

[rmvw guy]

My dad had a 1950 Dodge and had to install after market turn signals.

[old-hermit]

I'm not sure of any requirements to actually use them...

Nat’l Highway Traffic Safety Admin., DOT § 571.108 page 3

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2004-title49-vol5/pdf/CFR-2004-title49-vol5-sec571-108.pdf

[Jon Cole]

According to what I see and experience on the road, it still isn't mandatory!

"Try something new today... use your turn signal!"

[Qwit Pushin]

24951. (a) Any vehicle may be equipped with a lamp-type turn signal

system capable of clearly indicating any intention to turn either to

the right or to the left.

(

The following vehicles shall be equipped with a lamp-type turn signal system meeting the requirements of this chapter.

(1) Motortrucks, truck tractors, buses and passenger vehicles,

other than motorcycles, manufactured and first registered on or after

January 1, 1958.

(2) Trailers and semitrailers manufactured and first registered

between December 31, 1957, and January 1, 1969, having a gross weight

of 6,000 pounds or more.

(3) Trailers and semitrailers 80 or more inches in width

manufactured on or after January 1, 1969.

(4) Motorcycles manufactured and first registered on or after

January 1, 1973, except motor-driven cycles whose speed attainable in one mile is 30 miles per hour or less.

The requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to special

mobile equipment, or auxiliary dollies.

© Turn signal lamps on vehicles manufactured on or after January

1, 1969, shall be mounted not lower than 15 inches.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Qwit Pushin

[rel14]

I think it would be real cool.............. IF PEOPLE WOULD USE THEM.......LOL

[Brizio]

I think it would be real cool.............. IF PEOPLE WOULD USE THEM.......LOL

Agree!!! If not they should buy the car without it, they can save some $$$

[Junkman]

It really wasn't my intention to start a discussion re. people using their indicators, or not.

So 1-1-1958 they became mandatory on passenger cars in the US, which means all cars made prior to that having them had them voluntarily.

Interestingly, they became mandatory on the same day in Europe and one had to install them until 1-1-1960 if one still had a car with trafficators.

[george 53]

Christian, My first car was a 52 Chevy Delux 2 dr, an it had an added on steering column turn signal unit. It was a funny lookin little box, about 3 in x 3 in, with two green lights mounted in it, for left and right sides and I thought it was kinda strange that it was mounted like that, caz the cars I drove in drivers Ed in High School all had dash mounted turn signal lights IN the dasboard, not mounted to the steering column.

[lordairgtar]

The first application of a flashing electric turn signal was used on the 1938 Buick as a new safety feature. It was advertised by Buick as the “Flash-Way Directional Signal”. By 1940, Buick added the self-canceling mechanism attached to the steering column.

[jas1957]

My first car was a 1956 Chevy 210 it had factory equipped turn signals.

[Foxer]

Despite that 1958 date listed, most cars here has turn signals in the early 50's at least. My first car, a '51 Plymouth had them with lever mounted on steering wheel as normal. Maybe it was the manufactures competition that put them in, I do remember European cars having those side, flip out levers in the mid '50's.

[Art Anderson]

It really wasn't my intention to start a discussion re. people using their indicators, or not.

So 1-1-1958 they became mandatory on passenger cars in the US, which means all cars made prior to that having them had them voluntarily.

Interestingly, they became mandatory on the same day in Europe and one had to install them until 1-1-1960 if one still had a car with trafficators.

Actually,

Turn signals became mandatory in all the then 48 states in the US as of 1/1/55, by means of an interstate compact (sorta like a treaty between states in the US,--Government Class 101). USDOT didn't even come into being until the late 1960's.

Art

[Joe Handley]

I think it would be real cool.............. IF PEOPLE WOULD USE THEM.......LOL

Today I'd have been thrilled if people weren't driving like they got their licenses out of a Cracker Jack box let alone just using there turn signals! By the time Dad and I got home, I was wishing I could have taken my Jeep instead of the 200.................

[Harry P.]

Today I'd have been thrilled if people weren't driving like they got their licenses out of a Cracker Jack box let alone just using there turn signals! By the time Dad and I got home, I was wishing I could have taken my Jeep instead of the 200.................

Agreed!

This country gives out driver's licenses like candy. They're basically meaningless. If you can fog a mirror, you get a license. There are way too many people on the road who are clueless. Not using turn signals is the least of their problems. They drive as if they are the only car on the road, and they assume that everyone else will give way to them and their stupid moves. I see it over and over, day after day. I have to wonder how some of those clueless drivers are still alive, given the way they drive in traffic.

Just one example: I was driving along the road, in the right lane of a 4 lane road (2 eastbound, 2 westbound). I was directly alongside a car in the left lane... I was going a little faster than the other guy was, so I was gradually passing him. Not an intentional pass... I was just going 3-4 mph faster than he was, so I was just gradually passing him by.

So here I was, pretty much directly alongside his car. And he suddenly decides to change lanes. He ran right into me, scraping along the whole side of the car. We both pulled over into the next side street, and he told me he didn't see me. Well, duh! Of course he didn't see me... I don't think he hit me intentionally.

But the question is... WHY didn't he see me? Answer: he didn't bother looking to see if there was a car in the way before he decided to change lanes. My car wasn't invisible. He just didn't even bother to look. Typical clueless driver who thinks he's the only car on the road.

And there are thousands and thousands of them out there.

[espo]

Does Home Land Securty knows that you are giveing out the guarded information.

[mickey1938]

1955, I believe all American Automobiles had to have them, in 1956 I put a After Market set of Distress Signals on my Ford!

mickey1938

[Junkman]

Agreed!

This country gives out driver's licenses like candy. They're basically meaningless. If you can fog a mirror, you get a license. There are way too many people on the road who are clueless. Not using turn signals is the least of their problems. They drive as if they are the only car on the road, and they assume that everyone else will give way to them and their stupid moves. I see it over and over, day after day. I have to wonder how some of those clueless drivers are still alive, given the way they drive in traffic.

Just one example: I was driving along the road, in the right lane of a 4 lane road (2 eastbound, 2 westbound). I was directly alongside a car in the left lane... I was going a little faster than the other guy was, so I was gradually passing him. Not an intentional pass... I was just going 3-4 mph faster than he was, so I was just gradually passing him by.

So here I was, pretty much directly alongside his car. And he suddenly decides to change lanes. He ran right into me, scraping along the whole side of the car. We both pulled over into the next side street, and he told me he didn't see me. Well, duh! Of course he didn't see me... I don't think he hit me intentionally.

But the question is... WHY didn't he see me? Answer: he didn't bother looking to see if there was a car in the way before he decided to change lanes. My car wasn't invisible. He just didn't even bother to look. Typical clueless driver who thinks he's the only car on the road.

And there are thousands and thousands of them out there.

There always have been bad drivers, this is nothing new.

I can't count how many times I rode passenger with people driving by night, who never ever switched on their main beams.

They don't even look as far ahead as the light cone of their dipped beams reaches.

[Qwit Pushin]

My first car was a 1956 Chevy 210 it had factory equipped turn signals.

Ahhh, the '56 Chevy,....Had a Bel Air 2-door hardtop, white/pinecrest green - especially loved how the left rear taillamp doubled as a gas door.