Why don’t all drivers use their blinkers?

It seems so easy: Before you turn your car, reach down and turn on your blinker. Let other drivers know what you intend to do. Make it clear so that you can all avoid an accident due to miscommunication.

And yet, many drivers fail to do it. How many times have you watched someone cut you off on the interstate, changing lanes without a blinker? How many cars have slowed down unexpectedly in front of you, for no apparent reason, only to make a turn without an indication?

It happens all the time. It can be frustrating and it can lead to car accidents. Why does it happen?

One of the biggest reasons is shocking when you think about it, though you may not be all that surprised: Drivers admittedly are too lazy to signal. They know the rules of the road. They know the risks. But, when making a turn, they just do not feel like reaching down to turn on the blinker, so they opt to skip it.

Another reason is that people often drive aggressively. They may know that there isn’t much space in front of you on a congested road, but they don’t want you to know that they’re going to take it. So they keep the blinker off and just force their way in.

In many cases, though, it’s not malicious. They just forget. They get so caught up in what they’re doing — maybe they’re even so distracted while driving that they don’t remember to signal until they’ve already turned.

As common as this is, it is also very dangerous. If you get injured in an accident with a driver who failed to signal, make sure you know how to seek out compensation.