Yes, Washington state drivers, you must use your blinkers

Yes, Washington state drivers, you must use your blinkers.

That’s according to the state Supreme Court, which ruled this week that drivers must use their turn signals all the way through the intersection.

No more of this, “My turn signal clicked off, and who has time to turn it back on?” business. That includes cars in turn-only lanes.

How embarrassingly Captain Obvious, you say, because, duh, of course you are turning if it’s a turn-only lane? Tough, the justices say. Turn that puppy on.

The more prudent among you are wondering why this even is an issue. Turns out the law was a little confusing.

The state law said blinkers must be deployed “when required," which left room for debate. A lower court had ruled that drivers could use some discretion and might only have to use their signals when public safety was affected.

The ruling stems from a 2015 driving under the influence case in Kennewick.

In that case, a truck driver’s signal had turned off when he had stopped in the turn lane at a red light. The Court of Appeals had said no big deal, noting that the state's law mandating turn signal use includes the phrase "when required."

That lower court had suggested that turn signals are not required if public safety is not affected. But the high court overturned that interpretation, noting that drivers are not always aware of how their driving will affect public safety.