A common traffic violation is for failing to signal a turn. Vehicle Code Sections 22108, 22109, and 22110 provide the authority for an officer to issue a citation to a driver for failing to properly signal before turning or changing lanes. The law requires a driver to give the proper signal, either by signal lamp, e.g. the "turn signal" light on your vehicle, or by hand/arm.
You will likely be cited for this a violation of Vehicle Code Section 22108 if you do the following: 1) Turn your vehicle from a direct course, either right or left, which includes making a turn onto another roadway, making a U-turn, or changing lanes; and 2) fail to give an electrical or hand/arm signal continuously during the last 100 feet of the turn. One defense to this violation is if the turn was made without signaling but there was not another vehicle nearby that may have been affected by the turning movement. For example, if there are no other drivers on the road that could be affected but an officer is parked on the side of the road, observes the violation, starts his car, initiates a traffic stop, and cites the driver for failing to signal. In this situation, if a traffic trial were held the driver should be found "not guilty" by the traffic court judge. The officer in this instance was not affected by the driver's failure to signal and there were no other vehicles on the road that could have been.
If your turn signal lights are not working, you should use the appropriate hand/arm signals. If you are pulled over for failing to signal because your lights were broken, you will also likely get cited for a correctable violation for the broken light.
CONTACT A LOS ANGELES TRAFFIC TICKET LAWYER
A conviction for failing to signal a turn is a moving violation. It will count as one point on your driving record. If you have received a citation for failing to properly signal, in violation of Vehicle Code Section 22108, call us today at (877) 667-1205 or fill out our CONTACT form and the attorney will call you to personally discuss your ticket.