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Highway Code

Highway Code, Signals to other road users

Signals to other road users. Advisory guidance you are expected to follow.

  • Signals to other road users
  • Advisory rule
  • OGL v3.0

What the rule says

Advisory

Download ‘Signals to other road users’ (PDF, 100KB)

Direction indicator signals

I intend to move out to the right or turn right I intend to move in to the left or turn left or stop on the left These signals should not be used except for the purpose described.

Brake light signals

I am applying the brakes This signal should not be used except for the purpose described.

Reversing light signals

I intend to reverse This signal should not be used except for the purpose described.

Arm signals

For use when direction indicator signals are not used, or when necessary to reinforce direction indicator signals and stop lights. Also for use by pedal cyclists and those in charge of horses. I intend to move in to the left or turn left I intend to move out to the right or turn right I intend to slow down or stop I intend to move in to the left or turn left I intend to move out to the right or turn right I intend to slow down or stop These signals should not be used except for the purpose described.

Hazard lights

I am temporarily obstructing traffic or warning of a hazard or obstruction ahead (see Rule 116)

Rule text reproduced verbatim from the official Highway Code (Crown copyright) under the Open Government Licence v3.0, see the attribution at the foot of this page.

In plain English

Stripped of the formal wording, this guidance comes down to one idea: download ‘Signals to other road users’ (PDF, 100KB) I intend to move out to the right or turn right I intend to move in to the left or turn left or stop on the left These signals should not be used e… It is advice rather than law, but examiners and the courts still treat it as the expected standard of safe driving.

It belongs to the signals to other road users part of the Code, the habits a confident, considerate driver builds until they are automatic. The aim is not to memorise the sentence word for word, but to understand the hazard it protects you from, so you apply it without having to think when it counts.

If you are learning, treat this rule as one piece of a connected set rather than an isolated fact. The related rules below sit in the same section and reinforce each other, reading them together is how the signals to other road users part of the Code starts to feel like common sense rather than a list to revise.

Because this is advisory rather than legal, no one will fine you for the rule alone, but ignoring it can still count against you in a careless-driving case, and it will cost you faults on the test. Either way, the safe move is to build the habit early, while a driving instructor can correct it, rather than relearning it under test pressure. That is exactly what the practice routes and coaching in the DriveRoutes app are designed to help with, turning the rules below into the way you naturally drive.

Why this rule matters on the road

Signs, signals and markings are the shared language of the road. Reading them accurately and signalling clearly is how drivers coordinate without ever speaking, miss the message and the coordination breaks down.

Common faults examiners record

In the signals to other road users part of the Code, the faults most often written on the marking sheet tend to be the same handful. Knowing them in advance is the quickest way to drive them out of your own habits:

  • Signalling too late, too early, or when no signal is needed.
  • Missing a sign or road marking and acting on the wrong information.
  • Failing to cancel a signal after a manoeuvre.

On the day

Imagine a sign appearing on the approach to a junction. Applying Highway Code, Signals to other road users means reading it early, acting on it in good time, lane, speed, signal, and cancelling any signal once the manoeuvre is complete. The examiner notes whether you respond to the information or miss it.

Quick checklist

  • Read signs and markings early and act in good time.
  • Signal clearly, only when it helps someone.
  • Cancel the signal once the manoeuvre is done.

Highway Code, Signals to other road users, your questions

Download ‘Signals to other road users’ (PDF, 100KB) I intend to move out to the right or turn right I intend to move in to the left or turn left or stop on the left These signals should not be used e… It is advisory guidance rather than law, but you are still expected to follow it and an examiner can mark a fault if you do not.

DriveRoutes is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).