Mo. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 304
Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 304.019 (2026)

Hand and mechanical signals, violations, penalty

✓ current as of May 2026
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  304.019.  Hand and mechanical signals, violations, penalty. — 1.  No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of or turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided herein.

  (1)  An operator or driver when stopping, or when checking the speed of the operator's vehicle, if the movement of other vehicles may reasonably be affected by such checking of speed, shall extend such operator's arm at an angle below horizontal so that the same may be seen in the rear of the vehicle;

  (2)  An operator or driver intending to turn the operator's vehicle to the right shall extend such operator's arm at an angle above horizontal so that the same may be seen in front of and in the rear of the vehicle, and shall slow down and approach the intersecting highway as near as practicable to the right side of the highway along which such operator is proceeding before turning;

  (3)  An operator or driver intending to turn the operator's vehicle to the left shall extend such operator's arm in a horizontal position so that the same may be seen in the rear of the vehicle, and shall slow down and approach the intersecting highway so that the left side of the vehicle shall be as near as practicable to the center line of the highway along which the operator is proceeding before turning;

  (4)  The signals herein required shall be given either by means of the hand and arm or by a signal light or signal device in good mechanical condition of a type approved by the state highway patrol; however, when a vehicle is so constructed or loaded that a hand and arm signal would not be visible both to the front and rear of such vehicle then such signals shall be given by such light or device.  A vehicle shall be considered as so constructed or loaded that a hand and arm signal would not be visible both to the front and rear when the distance from the center of the top of the steering post to the left outside limit of the body, cab or load exceeds twenty-four inches, or when the distance from the center of the top of the steering post to the rear limit of the body or load thereon exceeds fourteen feet, which limit of fourteen feet shall apply to single vehicles or combinations of vehicles.  The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to any trailer which does not interfere with a clear view of the hand signals of the operator or of the signaling device upon the vehicle pulling such trailer; provided further that the provisions of this section as far as mechanical devices on vehicles so constructed that a hand and arm signal would not be visible both to the front and rear of such vehicle as above provided shall only be applicable to new vehicles registered within this state after the first day of January, 1954.

  2.  Violation of this section shall be deemed a class C misdemeanor.

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(L. 1953 p. 587 § 304.020, A.L. 1996 H.B. 1047)

(1954) Where plaintiff admittedly did not give hand signal of his intention to stop, and other evidence was to the effect that no electric stop signal was seen, question of contributory negligence in failing to give warning of stop held for jury even though car was equipped with adequate electrical signaling devices. White v. Rohrer (Mo.), 267 S.W.2d 31.

(1958) Under the circumstances of the case, whether defendant was guilty of negligence in failing to give signal of intention to turn right at driveway was question for jury. Ilgenfritz v. Quinn (Mo.), 318 S.W.2d 186.

(1959) Where driver gave timely and adequate signal of intention to stop by means of a stop light on left rear of vehicle operated off of the brake, he was not required to give hand signal. Pilkenton v. Fegley (Mo.), 321 S.W.2d 435.

(1961) Section 304.019 is not limited to cases where there is a sudden checking of speed but the degree of abruptness would have a decided bearing upon whether it would reasonably affect the movement of a following vehicle. Lafferty v. Wattle (A.), 349 S.W.2d 519.

(1964) A motorist who intends to turn left may not assume that other vehicles will not be on the highway in violation of rules of the road and must make proper observation to rear to see that another vehicle is not coming into such close proximity that a left turn cannot be made with reasonable safety and must give appropriate signal of intent to turn left. Reed v. Shelly (A.), 378 S.W.2d 291.

(2004) Signal requirement does not apply to vehicles moving from stopped position and entering traffic; probable cause did not therefore exist for police officer to stop vehicle after defendant pulled vehicle onto street from parked position without signaling.  State v. Johnson, 148 S.W.3d 338 (Mo.App.W.D.).

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 34 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1958–2024 · leading case: Welch v. Hyatt, 578 S.W.2d 905 (Mo. 1979).
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Welch v. Hyatt, 578 S.W.2d 905 (Mo. 1979). · cites it 10× “" [7] Appellants argue that in any event the angle of the turn was very slight which constituted "more of a veer" and that such a slight turn (he contends two feet) is not a "turn" within the meaning of § 304.019. A "turn" is a permanent change of direction for the purpose of…”
State v. Loyd, 326 S.W.3d 908 (Mo. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 8× “Section 304.019 is entitled “Hand and mechanical signals, violations, penalty” and states the following in relevant part: No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of or turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such…”
Probst Ex Rel. Probst v. Seyer, 353 S.W.2d 798 (Mo. 1962). · cites it 7× “016 and section 304.019 RSMo 1959, V.A.M.S. (All statutory references herein are to said revision unless otherwise indicated.”
Reed v. Shelly, 378 S.W.2d 291 (Mo. Ct. App. 1964). · cites it 10× “1, 2 and Shelly, in making his left turn, was governed by Section 304.019, which provides in part that: “No person shall * * * move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate…”
Furlow v. Laclede Cab Co., 502 S.W.2d 373 (Mo. Ct. App. 1973). · cites it 12× “The words “reasonable safety” which appear in Section 304.019 RSMo 1959 are not present in Section 304.”
State v. Johnson, 148 S.W.3d 338 (Mo. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 6× “The State relies on this language to supports its interpretation of section 304.019. While the language does seem to do so, it must be remembered that in Thomas , the court was talking about the fact that the driver crossed the centerline without signaling his intention to do so.”
Mitchell v. Buchheit, 559 S.W.2d 528 (Mo. 1977). · cites it 4× “Defendants relied heavily on the following portion of § 304.019, RSMo 1969: No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of or turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and…”
Cowan v. Perryman, 740 S.W.2d 303 (Mo. Ct. App. 1987). · cites it 5× “Section 304.019 1 reads, in pertinent part: *305 “No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of or turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving…”
Lafferty v. Wattle, 349 S.W.2d 519 (Mo. Ct. App. 1961). · cites it 5× “§ 304.019 emasculates subparagraph (1) in the sense that the command of subparagraph (1) is limited to cases where there is a sudden checking of speed.”
State v. Stolzman, 799 S.W.2d 927 (Mo. Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 4× “The State asserts that changing lanes without giving the appropriate signal violates § 304.019, RSMo 1986. That section provides in pertinent part: "No person shall .”
State v. Jackson, 186 S.W.3d 873 (Mo. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 2× “Section 304.019 requires vehicle operators to signal before turning and states that violation of the section is a class C misdemeanor.”
State v. Champagne, 561 S.W.3d 869 (Mo. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 2× “On January 15, 2017, Benjamin Kaufman ("Officer Kaufman"), a Springfield police officer, stopped the vehicle Defendant was driving because he observed that the vehicle only had one functioning brake light, on its passenger side, out of the three on the vehicle and Defendant did…”
Show all 34 citing cases →
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 304.019(1) — 2 cases
Lafferty v. Wattle, 349 S.W.2d 519 (Mo. Ct. App. 1961). “§ 304.019 emasculates subparagraph (1) in the sense that the command of subparagraph (1) is limited to cases where there is a sudden checking of speed.”
Cowan v. Perryman, 740 S.W.2d 303 (Mo. Ct. App. 1987). “Section 304.019 1 reads, in pertinent part: *305 “No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of or turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving…”
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 304.019(3) — 1 case
Maul v. Filimon, 315 S.W.2d 859 (Mo. Ct. App. 1958).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 304.019(4) — 1 case
Lafferty v. Wattle, 349 S.W.2d 519 (Mo. Ct. App. 1961). “§ 304.019 emasculates subparagraph (1) in the sense that the command of subparagraph (1) is limited to cases where there is a sudden checking of speed.”
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