The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the National Street Rod Association and/or StreetScene Magazine. Universal Signals
I don’t know about you, but I really hate to get behind a vehicle where the blinker has been on for several miles and the driver doesn’t have a clue it’s on—or behind a person that doesn’t know what a blinker is for and makes a fast turn without using the blinker. Although this is an item we check when doing Safety Inspections during the lighting system check, it is not one you get disqualified for. Turn signals or indicators are among the sim- plest yet most essential safety fea- tures on the road. Their purpose is straightforward, to communicate a driver’s intention to turn or change lanes. But behind that familiar rhythmic flash lies more than a century of innovation, regulation, and technological refinement. The core function of a blinker is com- munication and by signaling a turn or lane change, drivers reduce uncertainty and help prevent colli- sions. Blinkers are required by law in most countries and are a foun- dational part of defensive driving. Long before electric blinkers, drivers relied on hand signals. A driver would extend an arm out the window to indicate left or right turns. This method was widely used in the early 1900s but had major drawbacks: poor visibility at night or in bad weather; difficulty signaling at high speeds; and safety risks from reaching outside the vehicle. Before electric lights, early cars experiment- ed with mechanical semaphore arms, known as trafficators. These pivoting arms extended from the vehicle to show direction. Some ver- sions were cable-operated or pneu- matic, and by 1908 many included small lights for nighttime visibility. A major early innovation came from Florence Lawrence, a silent-film actress and inventor, who created a push-button mechanical signaling arm in 1914–1915. Though she never patented it, her design laid
the groundwork for future systems. The first true electric turn signal systems emerged in 1925 when Edgar Walz patented an electric signaling device with flashing arrows and an integrated brake light—a major step toward mod- ern blinkers. However, automakers did not adopt it widely, and his patent expired. Around the same time, inventor Charles Kip devel- oped a light-based turn signal sys- tem using front and rear flashing lamps. This system improved visibil- ity and safety but took time to gain widespread acceptance. By the 1930s, automakers began adding turn signals as optional or standard equipment and when Buick intro- duced the “Flash-Way Directional Signal” in 1938, it became the first commercially successful electric turn signal system. This marked the beginning of universal adoption across the automotive industry. A typical blinker system includes three main components: the switch, a flasher and the bulbs. The flasher creates the blinking effect with flash-rate standards (typically 60–120 flashes per minute) and many vehicles now use LED indica- tor bulbs. Mandatory use during turns and lane changes plus dash- board indicator lights and audible clicks became rules for better com- munication on the road. Today’s turn signals continue to evolve including automatic lane-change signaling (tap once for 3–5 flashes), camera-based monitoring to detect if a driver forgets to signal, and adaptive flashing tied to emergency braking or hazard detection. Future blinkers may integrate with vehicle- to-vehicle communication, project- ed light signals, and autonomous driving systems—but their purpose remains the same, clear communi- cation for safer roads. Carol Barnhill Arkansas State Safety Inspector
94 JULY 2026
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker