BERLIN: Some drivers barely glance in the rear-view mirror before they pull out of their parking spot and head off on their way.
But Achmed Leser, from Tuv, a leading German technical inspection company, warns that it's a good idea to use your turn signals when leaving a parking spot. He expressly advises allowing enough time to flash the turning indicators before pulling out and starting up.
First and foremost, it helps avoid accidents, he says.
Bicyclists or motorcyclists are easily missed. But that's not all: "Every driver should actually have learned in driving school that when approaching the kerbside, they must have made sure to exclude any danger to other road users beforehand," says Leser. "Without the familiar glance over the shoulder and in the mirror, that's simply not possible."
Using a blinker, however, doesn't give the driver a free pass.
"The approaching drivers must always concede right of way and may not impede, or possibly jeopardise, the others," warns Leser.
