Idaho Code
Idaho Code

Idaho Code § 49-808 (2026)

Turning movements and required signals. 

✓ current as of May 2026
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Turning movements and required signals. 

(1) No person shall turn a vehicle onto a highway or move a vehicle right or left upon a highway or merge onto or exit from a highway unless and until the movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an appropriate signal.

(2)  A signal of intention to turn or move right or left when required shall be given continuously to warn other traffic. On controlled-access highways and before turning from a parked position, the signal shall be given continuously for not less than five (5) seconds and, in all other instances, for not less than the last one hundred (100) feet traveled by the vehicle before turning.
(3)  No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of a vehicle without first giving an appropriate signal to the driver of any vehicle immediately to the rear when there is opportunity to give such a signal.
(4)  The signals required on vehicles by section 49-809, Idaho Code, shall not be flashed on one (1) side only on a disabled vehicle, flashed as a courtesy or "do pass" signal to operators of other vehicles approaching from the rear, nor be flashed on one (1) side only of a parked vehicle except as may be necessary for compliance with this section.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 34 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1966–2024 · leading case: State v. Dewbre, 991 P.2d 388 (Idaho Ct. App. 1999).
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State v. Dewbre, 991 P.2d 388 (Idaho Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 76× “From a common-sense standpoint, it is unlikely that the Idaho Legislature intended *393 the term "move," as used in Idaho Code § 49-808 (1), to apply to Dewbre's driving in this case.”
Burton v. State, Dep't of Idaho, 240 P.3d 933 (Idaho Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 56× “Burton argues on appeal that the stop of her vehicle (which led to the breath test) was unlawful because the traffic statute that she was deemed to have violated, Idaho Code § 49-808 (1), is void for vagueness as applied to her.”
State v. Ivan Drake Pettit, 406 P.3d 370 (Idaho Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 24× “The magistrate granted Pettit’s motion to suppress, finding: (1) Idaho Code § 49-808 (1) unambiguously did not require Pettit to use a right turn signal and, thus, the officer did not have reasonable suspicion to stop Pettit’s vehicle; (2) the officer’s mistake of law was not…”
State v. Thomas C. Kelley, 361 P.3d 1280 (Idaho Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 30× “Idaho Code Section 49-808 governs the use of turn signals on Idaho roadways and provides, in pertinent part: (2) A signal of intention to turn or move right or left when required shall be given continuously to warn other traffic.”
State v. Connor G. Spies, 335 P.3d 609 (Idaho Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 16× “Idaho Code § 49-808 The State argues that the stop was lawful based on Spies’ repeated failure to engage his turn signal before moving from terminating turn lanes back into the continuing lane of travel.”
State v. Matthew O. Brooks, 341 P.3d 1259 (Idaho Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 24× “The first subsection of I.C. § 49-808 provides that “no person shall turn a vehicle onto a highway or move a vehicle right or left upon a highway or merge onto or exit from a highway unless and until the movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an…”
Mahaffey v. State, 316 S.W.3d 633 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “[5] Idaho Code § 49-808 (1) provides, "No person shall turn a vehicle onto a highway or move a vehicle right or left upon a highway or merge onto or exit from a highway unless and until the movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an appropriate signal.”
Mahaffey v. State, 364 S.W.3d 908 (Tex. Crim. App. 2012). · cites it 2× “[4] Idaho Code § 49-808 (1) provides, "No person shall turn a vehicle onto a highway or move a vehicle right or left upon a highway or merge onto or exit from a highway unless and until the movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an appropriate signal.”
Lee Rice, II v. Dale Morehouse, 989 F.3d 1112 (9th Cir. 2021). “MOREHOUSE 5 According to Murakami, she initiated the traffic stop because Rice failed to signal for five seconds before changing lanes, Idaho Code § 49-808 (1)–(2), and she suspected that Rice was driving under the influence.”
State v. Marcos A. Renteria, 415 P.3d 954 (Idaho Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Renteria made a quick lane change on Interstate 84 in violation of Idaho Code § 49-808 , which requires drivers to signal continuously for not less than five seconds before changing lanes.”
State v. Myers, 798 P.2d 453 (Idaho Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 2× “We held that when an officer has an objectively reasonable basis for making an investigative stop, the officer’s subjective motive or actual state of mind is irrelevant. Here, the officer had an objectively reasonable basis for making the stop.”
Ahles v. Tabor, 34 P.3d 1076 (Idaho 2001). · cites it 2× “The district court also found Tabor to be negligent by virtue of his violation of the provisions of I.C. § 49-808 requiring a continuous signal of intention to turn or move right to warn other traffic.”
Show all 34 citing cases →
— Idaho Code § 49-808(1) — 8 cases
Burton v. State, Dep't of Idaho, 240 P.3d 933 (Idaho Ct. App. 2010). “Burton argues on appeal that the stop of her vehicle (which led to the breath test) was unlawful because the traffic statute that she was deemed to have violated, Idaho Code § 49-808 (1), is void for vagueness as applied to her.”
State v. Ivan Drake Pettit, 406 P.3d 370 (Idaho Ct. App. 2017). “The magistrate granted Pettit’s motion to suppress, finding: (1) Idaho Code § 49-808 (1) unambiguously did not require Pettit to use a right turn signal and, thus, the officer did not have reasonable suspicion to stop Pettit’s vehicle; (2) the officer’s mistake of law was not…”
State v. Pressley, 954 P.2d 1073 (Idaho Ct. App. 1998).
State v. Young, 167 P.3d 783 (Idaho Ct. App. 2006).
State v. Matthew O. Brooks, 341 P.3d 1259 (Idaho Ct. App. 2014). “The first subsection of I.C. § 49-808 provides that “no person shall turn a vehicle onto a highway or move a vehicle right or left upon a highway or merge onto or exit from a highway unless and until the movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an…”
— Idaho Code § 49-808(2) — 9 cases
State v. Thomas C. Kelley, 361 P.3d 1280 (Idaho Ct. App. 2015). “Idaho Code Section 49-808 governs the use of turn signals on Idaho roadways and provides, in pertinent part: (2) A signal of intention to turn or move right or left when required shall be given continuously to warn other traffic.”
State v. Matthew O. Brooks, 341 P.3d 1259 (Idaho Ct. App. 2014). “The first subsection of I.C. § 49-808 provides that “no person shall turn a vehicle onto a highway or move a vehicle right or left upon a highway or merge onto or exit from a highway unless and until the movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an…”
State v. Wickham, 511 P.3d 868 (Idaho Ct. App. 2022).
State v. Gaylord Jay Colvin, 341 P.3d 598 (Idaho Ct. App. 2014).
State v. Craig Allen Hunter (Idaho Ct. App. 2015).
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