How long can you park temporarily with hazard lights on?
3 Answers
Generally, parking for more than ten hours is not a big problem. Hazard lights should be used in the following situations: 1. Driving in foggy weather. Due to poor visibility, not only should hazard lights be turned on, but fog lights should also be activated to alert passing vehicles and provide illumination. 2. When a vehicle breaks down or is involved in a traffic accident on the road, hazard lights should be turned on to alert passing vehicles for safety. On highways, if a vehicle breaks down or is involved in an accident and is parked without using lights or setting up warning signs as required, 12 points will be deducted from the driver's license. 3. When towing a malfunctioning vehicle, both the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle should turn on hazard lights to indicate their abnormal status. 4. When temporarily parked on a driving road, hazard lights should be turned on to alert other vehicles. 5. When forming a convoy approved by traffic police, all vehicles in the convoy should turn on hazard lights. 6. When visibility is less than 100 meters, fog lights, low beams, marker lights, front and rear position lights, and hazard lights should be turned on. The speed should not exceed 40 km/h, and a distance of more than 50 meters should be maintained from the vehicle ahead in the same lane. 7. When visibility is less than 50 meters, fog lights, low beams, marker lights, front and rear position lights, and hazard lights should be turned on. The speed should not exceed 20 km/h, and the vehicle should exit the highway at the nearest exit as soon as possible.
I noticed that the duration of temporary parking with hazard lights on depends on regulations and the specific situation. On most urban roads, traffic rules allow for short-term parking, generally no more than 3-5 minutes, mainly for handling emergencies like picking up items from the car, provided it doesn’t disrupt traffic or pedestrian safety. Local regulations vary, with some areas strictly limiting it to under a minute, otherwise risking a ticket or penalty. From a safety perspective, hazard lights are only for warning of danger. Parking too long may mislead other drivers and increase accident risks. I recommend using them only when truly necessary, like for vehicle breakdowns or emergencies, not as an excuse for random parking. Prolonged parking also drains the battery, affecting vehicle performance. In short, try to keep it under 5 minutes and find a safe area to handle your business.
After driving on the road a lot, I feel that it's best not to keep the hazard lights on for more than a few minutes when making a temporary stop. Once when my car broke down and I turned on the hazard lights, intending to fix it and take some time, I was reminded by traffic police to move away after just 10 minutes. Personal experience suggests that temporary parking depends on the situation. If you're stopping by a busy roadside, you should leave within 1-2 minutes at most, otherwise you'll obstruct others and invite trouble. Hazard lights are mainly for preventing danger, but keeping them on for too long can actually be unsafe—for example, stopping for too long on the highway at night makes it hard for other drivers to see you, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision. It's best to resolve the issue quickly or move to a proper parking spot. Remember, hazard lights aren't a get-out-of-jail-free card; overusing them can lead to penalties or accidents. For everyday driving, I recommend checking if the surroundings are safe before making a brief stop.
