SIGNAL SAFETY
I’m a driving instructor – a common feature in modern cars could actually be dangerous when indicating… I don’t trust it
Plus, the three-step process you should use instead
A DRIVING instructor has warned that a common feature in modern cars could actually be dangerous when indicating.
Richard Fanders from Conquer Driving took to his YouTube channel to urge motorists to treat the gadget as a fallback rather than a "luxury to rely on".
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In the video, he said: "You shouldn't rely on self-cancelling signals.
"They are a safety system to back you up if you forget to cancel it yourself as soon as it's no longer required.
"Self-cancelling signals aren't smart, they may not cancel and they will probably cancel later than needed."
Richard filmed himself using the tech in two different cars to show the potential problems that can come about.
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In some cases, the indicator can cancel too early, for example due to a lane change when you still wish to move further in the direction you signalled.
And in others, they may cancel well after you have completed the turn, making drivers behind uncertain as to what you are going to do next.
In extreme cases, they could even try and overtake dangerously as they are assuming that you are going to slow down and turn off.
Instead, Richard recommended a three-step process for signalling which will ensure those behind you know exactly what's going on and keep you safe.
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First, press the indicator stalk on the steering column halfway in the direction you wish to indicate and hold it there.
Do not push it until it locks, which activates the automatic signalling, but keep your hand on it to hold it in place.
Then check your mirrors and make your manoeuvre when it is safe to do so.
Finally, release the indicator stalk as soon as you have completed your manoeuvre and do not intend to continue changing direction to cancel the signal immediately.
He added: "You may be thinking 'there's a lot to do with my hands'.
"Priority one is steering, you can't move too far to the left or right of where you're meant to be without hitting something.
"Second priority is signalling, it's important to let people know where you're going but also...to cancel the signal before it becomes misleading.
"And the third priority is gears, gears can usually wait."
It comes after insurance experts warned that learning to drive a manual car could become "obsolete" by 2040 amid a surge in automatic-only tests.
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