Why do they make cars with red turn signals?

[Anonymous]

I've never understood this. A simple color can heighten someone's awareness and add a simple, easy safety feature - why on earth to car manufacturers still make cars with red turn signals, that make it more likely to blend in with a brake light? Why do people buy cars with this moronic design?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never understood this. A simple color can heighten someone's awareness and add a simple, easy safety feature - why on earth to car manufacturers still make cars with red turn signals, that make it more likely to blend in with a brake light? Why do people buy cars with this moronic design?

Because it does what it's supposed to do? Never bothered me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never understood this. A simple color can heighten someone's awareness and add a simple, easy safety feature - why on earth to car manufacturers still make cars with red turn signals, that make it more likely to blend in with a brake light? Why do people buy cars with this moronic design?

Because, moronic or not, the color of the turn signals has very little impact on the car buying decision compared to nearly every other possible factor.

[Anonymous]

I’m from England and all our turn signals are orange. It was so bizarre to me when I moved here that some cars are red, the same as brake lights. I’ve got to it now but I do agree with you.

[Anonymous]

To me it's insane that new cars turn off their running lights when the signal is being used, and have the same color for backup lights as for turning. INSANE. Everyone should have standard backup lights and turn signals so we know what's going to happen. Hence the word "signal."

[Anonymous]

Yes, I completely agree.

Separately, I come from a country that does not allow turning right on red, to protect pedestrians. Here there are more car drivers and preference is given to traffic flow, but it leads to more pedestrian fatalities. It'd rather they do away with the turning right on red.

[Anonymous]

We buy what the manufacturer offers. It isn’t an option even though BMW makes taillight assemblies with yellow signal lights to comply with EU/ROW standards and yet makes assemblies with red signal lights for North America. Nobody seems to know why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me it's insane that new cars turn off their running lights when the signal is being used, and have the same color for backup lights as for turning. INSANE. Everyone should have standard backup lights and turn signals so we know what's going to happen. Hence the word "signal."

Which cars use the same color for backup lights as turning lights?

[Anonymous]

Apparently many people wonder why they make cars with turn signals at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me it's insane that new cars turn off their running lights when the signal is being used, and have the same color for backup lights as for turning. INSANE. Everyone should have standard backup lights and turn signals so we know what's going to happen. Hence the word "signal."

Which cars use the same color for backup lights as turning lights?

None.

Those cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apparently many people wonder why they make cars with turn signals at all.

I’m convinced Virginia driver’s ed classes don’t even mention turn signals.

[Anonymous]

Totally off topic, but idiot drivers that think their headlights are on at night, when in fact it’s the daytime driving lights and no taillights. Turn on your headlights and don’t rely on daytime driving lights. You’re driving with no taillights and almost impossible to see your vehicle at night from behind. Thank you…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally off topic, but idiot drivers that think their headlights are on at night, when in fact it’s the daytime driving lights and no taillights. Turn on your headlights and don’t rely on daytime driving lights. You’re driving with no taillights and almost impossible to see your vehicle at night from behind. Thank you…

Yes, I drive from here to Jersey and back almost weekly and 95 is full of these idiots. If your car is new enough to have daytime running lights, it’s new enough to have the automatic headlight setting. Use it, FFS, if you’re not smart enough to turn on your headlights when it’s dark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I completely agree.

Separately, I come from a country that does not allow turning right on red, to protect pedestrians. Here there are more car drivers and preference is given to traffic flow, but it leads to more pedestrian fatalities. It'd rather they do away with the turning right on red.

Some cities in the US also do not allow right turn on red, such as NYC. Very obviously, rules for NYC where there is almost always someone pedestrian nearby regardless of the time of day would be different from a rural area where an intersection doesn't see pedestrians for days. A country-wide rule on this is asinine.

[Anonymous]

Because it is not required in the US like in Europe. Making headlight housing with different colors requires more components and is more expensive for manufacturers. Why would they spend more if they don’t have to?