9.44. Are you as a driver required to signal with the direction indicator before changing lanes?
UAЧи повинні Ви як водій подавати сигнали світловим покажчиком повороту перед перестроюванням?
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This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about the safe execution of maneuvers and interaction with other road users. Turn signals are not just a formality, but a matter of predictability: giving advance warning reduces the risk of conflicts during lane changes, when other drivers may be moving faster, be in the “blind spot,” or be preparing to overtake.
The question tests the section of the Traffic Rules regarding the use of warning signals, specifically item 9.2. This item establishes the driver’s obligation to signal with the appropriate turn indicator before changing lanes, turning, or making a U-turn. This is a requirement for every maneuver, not just a situational recommendation. On the theoretical exam, it is important to remember: a lane change is any change of position on the carriageway, including moving from one lane to another.
The option about signaling only when there are other road users present contradicts the Traffic Rules, since a driver cannot always objectively assess whether someone is nearby (a pedestrian, a motorcycle, a car in the mirrors). The wording “if there is time to turn it on” is also incorrect, because the signal must be given in advance before starting the maneuver, not at the last moment. The correct logic for this exam question is: you must always use the turn indicator, but an activated signal does not give you the right of way and does not relieve you of the obligation to make sure the lane change is safe.
Clause 9.2
The driver must give signals with the direction indicators in the appropriate direction: a) before starting to move and stopping; b) before changing lanes, turning, or making a U-turn.
This clause directly establishes the obligation to give a signal before changing lanes (changing lane/position on the carriageway) in any case.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Must always.", given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules, the driver is required to give signals with the direction indicators before changing lanes.
Changing lanes is considered any change of your position on the roadway while driving, in particular moving from one lane to another. This is a maneuver that affects other road users, even if it seems that there is no one nearby.
According to clause 9.2 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine, the driver is required to signal with the turn indicator before performing certain actions, among which lane changing is explicitly mentioned. That is, before you start moving left or right to change lanes, you must turn on the appropriate indicator in advance.
The purpose of this rule is so that other drivers and pedestrians can timely understand your intention and react safely. For example, if you are moving into the left lane, the car behind you may be about to overtake or may be approaching faster than it appears in the mirrors. An early signal reduces the risk of misunderstanding and accidents. At the same time, it is important to remember: turning on the indicator does not give you the right of way, so before the maneuver the driver must additionally make sure that changing lanes is safe.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Must always.", since clause 9.2 of the Traffic Rules directly obliges you to signal with the turn indicator before changing lanes, regardless of the presence of other road users.