Virginia Change of Course After Signaling: Fines, Points & What to Do Next

You are waiting to pull out of a side street. A car approaches with its right turn signal blinking, so you assume it is turning onto your road — and you ease out. Except the other driver never turns. They sail straight through, and now you are in the middle of an intersection with nowhere to go. Moments like this cause thousands of crashes, and Virginia has a specific law for the driver who signaled one thing and did another.

Under Virginia Code § 46.2-850, once you give a turn or lane-change signal, you are expected to actually follow through with that maneuver unless you first change the signal. Breaking that rule — often called change of course after signaling — is a moving violation with demerit points attached. This post explains what the violation is, the fine and points, the insurance impact, and what to do if you have been ticketed.

What is change of course after signaling in Virginia?

Virginia Code § 46.2-850 states that a driver who has given a required hand or light signal must continue the course indicated by that signal unless they alter the original signal first. In other words, your blinker is a promise to the drivers around you. If you signal a right turn, other drivers rely on it to judge whether it is safe to proceed. Turning the signal on and then changing your mind — going straight, turning the other way, or drifting into a different lane — can leave everyone else guessing.

Typical scenarios that lead to a citation include:

• Signaling a turn, then continuing straight and cutting off a driver who pulled out relying on your signal.

• Signaling a lane change, abandoning it, and swerving back — clipping or startling a nearby vehicle.

• Leaving a stale blinker on and then making a maneuver that contradicts it, contributing to a collision.

This violation is closely related to — but separate from — a failure-to-signal ticket. Failure to signal is about not signaling at all; change of course after signaling is about giving a signal and then not following through.

The reason Virginia takes this seriously is trust. The entire flow of traffic depends on drivers being able to predict each other's next move, and turn signals are the main way we communicate that intent. A blinker that lies — whether from a stale signal you forgot to cancel or a last-second change of mind — removes the one cue other drivers were counting on. That is exactly the kind of unpredictable behavior that leads to intersection collisions and pull-out crashes.

Fines and DMV demerit points

Change of course after signaling is a traffic infraction and one of Virginia's three-demerit-point violations. The specifics:

• Demerit points: 3 points added to your Virginia driving record.

• How long it stays: the demerit points remain valid for two years from the date of the offense, and the conviction stays on your DMV record for three years.

• Fine: as a traffic infraction, the fine is typically modest — often in the neighborhood of $30 base plus court costs, which usually brings the total to around $100 depending on the court.

Even a 'small' three-point ticket adds up. Virginia starts sending advisory letters at 8 demerit points and can require a mandatory clinic at 12 — so keeping points off your record protects your license and your wallet.

Curious how three points fit into the bigger picture? See our Virginia DMV demerit point system explained.

Remove up to 5 demerit points with the DMV-approved course — $74.99

How it affects your car insurance

Any moving violation that posts demerit points can raise your auto insurance rate, and change of course after signaling is no exception. Because the violation is often tied to a near-miss or an actual crash, insurers may view it as evidence of unpredictable driving. When your policy renews and the carrier reviews your motor vehicle record, expect the possibility of a premium increase that can last for the three years the conviction remains on your record.

The size of the increase depends on your insurer, your history, and whether a collision was involved. A single three-point ticket on an otherwise clean record may cause only a modest bump; stacked with other violations, it can be costly. For the details, read how Virginia traffic tickets affect insurance rates.

A voluntary driver improvement course is a proven way to blunt the impact — many Virginia insurers grant a safe-driver discount when you provide a completion certificate.

What to do after a change-of-course ticket

1. Weigh contesting it. These cases can turn on witness accounts and exactly what your signal showed. If the facts are disputed, it may be worth challenging. Start with our guide on getting a Virginia ticket dismissed.

2. Pay the fine only if you accept the points. Prepaying is a guilty plea that posts the three points to your record and closes the case. Do not prepay if you intend to fight the ticket.

3. Take the DMV-approved driver improvement course. An 8-hour online driver improvement course removes up to five demerit points and adds five safe-driving points — more than enough to cancel out a three-point ticket. Completing it before your court date can also help your standing with the judge.

4. Monitor your record. Once resolved, order your DMV transcript to verify the points and their expiration, using our walkthrough on removing points from your record.

Course-code reference: which enrollment reason applies to you

When you sign up for a Virginia driver improvement course, you pick a reason code. Choosing the right one matters — it tells the DMV and your court why you took the class. Here is what each code means:

If you are taking the course on your own to earn safe-driving points and lower your insurance, choose VOL. If a judge ordered it, choose YCT or NCT depending on whether points were assigned. Not sure? Start your enrollment and our team will help you pick the right code.

Frequently asked questions

Is it really illegal to signal and then not turn? Under § 46.2-850, once you give a signal you are expected to follow the indicated course unless you change the signal first. If your stale or misleading signal causes a hazard, an officer can cite you.

How is this different from failure to signal? Failure to signal means you never gave a signal. Change of course after signaling means you gave one and then did something different, misleading other drivers.

Will the driver improvement course remove these points? Yes — a voluntary course removes up to five demerit points and earns five safe-driving points, which more than offsets a three-point change-of-course violation and may qualify you for an insurance discount.

Ready to protect your record? Enroll today

The ABC Driving Improvement 8-hour course is DMV-approved, 100% online, and you can start and stop whenever it fits your schedule. Finishing knocks five demerit points off your Virginia record, adds safe-driving points, and gives you documented proof of a fresh defensive-driving refresher that many insurers reward with a discount.

It is just $74.99, DMV-approved, and backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Enroll today and take the fastest step toward a cleaner record.