When changing lanes in Oregon, when are hand-and-arm signals acceptable in place of turn signal lights?
-
A.
Anytime, day or night.
-
B.
In daylight, with at least 1,000 feet of visibility. Correct
-
C.
At night, but only on residential streets.
-
D.
Whenever your turn signal lights have failed.
The answer is "In daylight, with at least 1,000 feet of visibility."
For a lane change, hand-and-arm signals are only acceptable in daylight when you can clearly see people and vehicles at a distance of 1,000 feet. At night or when visibility is poor, you must use turn signal lights. They also should not be used when driving a wide or long vehicle, since the driver's arm may not be visible to surrounding traffic.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Anytime, day or night.
Hand-and-arm signals are not acceptable at night or in poor visibility; they are limited to daylight with at least 1,000 feet of visibility. Misreading: Ignores the manual's daylight-only restriction and the 1,000-foot visibility requirement, treating the signals as universally acceptable for lane changes.
C. At night, but only on residential streets.
Night use of hand-and-arm signals is not acceptable on any street; you must use turn signal lights at night when changing lanes. Misreading: Directly contradicts the rule that you must use turn signal lights at night or when visibility is poor, regardless of street type.
D. Whenever your turn signal lights have failed.
Even as a backup for failed lights, hand-and-arm signals are still constrained to daylight and 1,000-foot visibility, not just whenever your lights are out. Misreading: Treats lamp failure as a blanket exception, ignoring the daylight and 1,000-foot visibility conditions that always apply.
This question tests your knowledge of Lane Changes & Merging in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Turn Signals," p.38..
Related Oregon questions
- What is the "blind spot" referenced in the Oregon Driver Manual? →
- Before changing lanes on an Oregon road, what should you do? →
- How far in advance must you signal before a lane change in Oregon? →
- You're using an on-ramp to enter an Oregon freeway. What's the correct merging procedure? →
- You realize you have started to enter an Oregon freeway the wrong way. You should: →
The Oregon book is on the way
Drop your email and we'll send the free Oregon cheat sheet now, plus a note the moment the book is available.