You just got a letter that says you were cited for failure to signal after a crash or traffic stop, and that can feel small compared to everything else going wrong. Plainly put, it means a driver changed lanes, turned, pulled away from a curb or shoulder, or otherwise moved the vehicle without using a turn signal when the law required one. The basic issue is notice: other drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians need a clear warning before a vehicle changes direction.

In real life, this can matter a lot more than the ticket amount. A failure-to-signal citation can be used as evidence that a driver acted carelessly, which may support a negligence claim after a collision. In Mississippi, Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-707 (2024) requires an appropriate signal before turning or moving right or left, and for a turn the signal must be given continuously during at least the last 100 feet before turning.

For an injury case, that missing signal can affect who is blamed and how insurance companies argue fault. If one driver says a lane change "came out of nowhere," failure to signal may strengthen a claim for damages or weaken a defense. In Mississippi, most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within 3 years under Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49 (2024), so waiting too long can hurt your case even if the traffic violation seems straightforward.