BMW drivers found the least likely to use their turn signals

The car brand that was seen most frequently failing to signal was the BMW — 19.3% of the BMWs that our team saw using an intersection did not use their blinkers! Overall, the percentage of every other car brand that did not signal was 11.4%, which is very noticeably lower.

BMWs have a reputation for not using their turn signals. One reason for this might be that the turn signal itself, in older models, is famously fiddly to use. While most turn signals stay in the position until you’ve switched them off (and turned off the blinker), older BMWs have a turn signal stalk that immediately returns to center. Then, if you try to push it in the opposite direction to turn it off, your blinkers will just start signaling that you’re about to turn that way!

Our team noticed that many of the BMWs that did not signal were older models. Newer BMWs have a more conventional signaling system that’s more in line with other cars on the market, meaning that drivers swapping to a bimmer today might have an easier time getting used to it.

Next up, 14.7% of drivers in a Mercedes-Benz failed to signal at intersections. As another luxury car brand, Benz drivers also have a bit of a reputation for poor driving and selfishness on the roads.

One study from the International Journal of Psychology went so far as to speculate whether “stubborn, disagreeable” people are especially drawn to high-status cars – although of course this doesn’t apply to all car lovers who just enjoy cruising around in a luxury model!

In third place, it’s Renault. This French multinational brand is the first in the top ten to not be typically thought of as a maker of luxury cars. Only just behind Mercedes-Benz, 14.5% of Renault drivers were spotted turning at an intersection without signaling.

One more luxury car brand in our top ten is Audi. 13.8% of the Audi models our team observed turned without signaling – making drivers of these vehicles the fourth most likely to set their fellow drivers’ teeth on edge with this behavior!

Next up, in fifth place, our team noticed that 12.7% of Opel cars on the roads didn’t use their blinkers before turning. This brand, owned by the Stellantis group, is known as Opel in most European countries and Vauxhall in the UK. It doesn’t have a reputation as a luxury brand, but rather as a manufacturer of reliable, affordable vehicles.

Now we’re into the section of the ranking where fewer than 10% of drivers naughtily neglected to use their turn signals. 9.3% of Volkwagens were spotted failing to signal at intersections, placing this brand in sixth position.

In seventh place, 7.7% of Volvos turned without signaling correctly. The best-selling model made by the Swedish brand is the Volvo XC60 SUV. Although our study didn’t cover this factor, we wonder whether the type or size of car chosen by a driver has any bearing on how good they are at using their turn signals.

Next up, very close behind Volvo, it’s Toyota. 7.6% of drivers in cars made by this brand were guilty of not using their blinkers. This brand is the world’s largest automobile manufacturer, making as many as 10 million vehicles a year, meaning you see plenty of these cars on the roads.

In ninth place, 6.9% of Honda drivers did not signal. Honda makes a wide range of cars from nippy city cars like the Honda Jazz to sedans like the Accord and SUVS like the HR-V.

Finally, rounding off our top ten, 6.7% of Peugeot drivers were spotted failing to use their turn signal correctly. This French brand, like Opel, is part of the Stellantis group. It’s actually the oldest car company in the world as the family business that became Peugeot was founded in 1810. The first car made by the brand came out in 1890.

Our team selected a varied range of intersections, with some much busier than others. At one location, a major highway passes through a small town. This intersection had the most considerate drivers of all, with every single car our team saw signaling perfectly. Perhaps the combination of a busy road and a small town encouraged drivers to be extra careful when following traffic rules?