We've all been behind the drivers that don't use their blinkers when making a turn and we usually blow it off with a bit of frustration.

A recent ruling in the Washington Supreme Court upholds that legally a driver is required to use their blinkers whenever changing lanes or making a right or left-hand turn even if no one is around.

The ruling comes after an appeal of a Kennewick man who was arrested for DUI after briefly using his turn signal in a 2015 traffic stop. He signaled and then allowed the blinker to turn off as he made his turn - an officer stopped him for failure to use his blinkers appropriately.

The stop resulted in David Brown being arrested under the suspicions of driving under the influence. Brown argued that the stop was illegal and without cause.

The ruling overturns a Court Of Appeals ruling that said blinkers are only required with public safety is concerned.

The Washington State Supreme Court ruled that the law states  “to ensure turns and lane changes are done safely and with an appropriate turn signal."

The ruling makes it clear that using your blinkers is required by law and is grounds for a traffic stop and even a ticket if warranted.

You can read more about the case here. 

 

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