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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80603</law_id><section_number>46.2-1038</section_number><catch_line>When turn signals required; exceptions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-1039</reference><reference>46.2-1548</reference><reference>46.2-1558</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Operation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="10">Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Lights and Turn Signals</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, <span class="dictionary">trailer</span>, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> which is so constructed or carries a load in such a manner as to prevent a hand and arm signal required in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="How signals given" href="/46.2-849/">46.2-849</a> from being visible both to the front and rear of such <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, <span class="dictionary">trailer</span>, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> or any vehicle the <span class="dictionary">driver</span> of which is incapable of giving the required hand and arm signals, shall be equipped with electrical turn signals which meet the requirements of this title and are of a type that has been approved by the <span class="dictionary">Superintendent</span>. A <span class="dictionary">tractor truck</span>, however, need not be equipped with electrical turn signals on the rear if it is equipped with double faced signal <span class="dictionary">lights</span> mounted on the front fenders or on the sides near the front of the vehicle clearly visible to the rear. <a id="paragraph-288918" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1038/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> It shall be unlawful for any person to drive on any <span class="dictionary">highway</span> a <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span> registered in the Commonwealth and manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1955, unless such vehicle is equipped with such turn signals on both front and rear. <a id="paragraph-288919" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1038/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any such turn signal may be used in lieu of the hand and arm signal required by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="How signals given" href="/46.2-849/">46.2-849</a>. <a id="paragraph-288920" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1038/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Subsections A and B of this section shall not apply to any <span class="dictionary">motorcycle</span>. The provisions of this section shall not apply to <span class="dictionary">motor vehicles</span>, <span class="dictionary">trailers</span>, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailers</span> used for agricultural or horticultural purposes and exempted from registration under Article 6 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Temporary exemption for new resident operating vehicle registered in another state or country" href="/46.2-662/">46.2-662</a> et seq.) of Chapter 6 of this title. <a id="paragraph-288921" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1038/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 46-302; 1954, c. 44; 1958, c. 541, &#xA7; 46.1-298; 1962, c. 255; 1974, c. 217; 1989, c. 727.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
