NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As of January 1, 2026, Tennessee implemented a state law that will directly change the content of its driver licensing tests by requiring all new drivers to correctly identify three specific bicycle hand signals or risk failing their exam. The legislation, signed by the governor in May 2025, inserts cyclist communication into the formal testing framework for the first time in the state.
State transportation officials say the requirement responds to persistent safety concerns about misunderstandings between motorists and cyclists on Tennessee’s increasingly crowded roadways. Under the new rule, applicants must answer questions about how bicyclists signal a left turn, a right turn, and a slowing or stopping motion.
A left turn by a cyclist is indicated by extending the left arm straight out horizontally. A right turn may be shown either by extending the rider’s right arm straight out or by raising the left arm up at the elbow. A cyclist signals a slowing or stops by placing an arm downward with the elbow bent.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation frames the change as part of a broader push to affirm that cyclists, like motorists, have legal rights and responsibilities on public roads. Authorities stress that motorists are legally obligated to exercise caution around cyclists and that better understanding of these hand signals could reduce dangerous misinterpretations in traffic.
The Weight of Bicycle Hand Signals
Outside the formal sheen of driver manuals, hand signals have a long history in traffic communication. They serve as a universal, low-tech method for anyone on the road to communicate intent, especially when motor vehicle signal lights are malfunctioning or absent…