nberry:
Honestly, I was not aware of that function. In the US our authorities are fanatical about safety on highways. That is why very few if any States have higher speed limits than 65mph. If signaling a lane change was a safety factor, you can bet it would have been law here.
If I had to guess, the reason for signaling lane changes in Europe is the higher speed limit?
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I don't know, speed limits in Europe are not much higher in Europe, generallly 120km/h (72mph) with some a bit higher (France, Italy for example) and some a bit lower (UK, Spain, Finland for example). If you ask me I think the use in lane change turn signal in US may be more of a cultural thing and how multiple lane driving is regarded. In US the cars all tend to drive in all lanes at similar speed like a herd, in Europe, the left lane still regarded by law as an overtaking lane (though less and less by newer drivers) and lanes are more respected, thats why its important to signal in advance when you are invading another lane, rather than just driving without lanes like in US.
The US authorities may be fanatical about safety but those pencil pushers have always been out of touch with the real factors of traffic safety and accident mortality. They engrave on the mirror the obvious "object may appear coser that they really are" like if people are stuped but they allow motorists to ride without a helmets, they put silly stickers all over the place like the airbag warning stickers on the head visors but they allow (or at least the did last time I was there) to speak on the cell with one hand while driving with the other 
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