Should You Turn on Hazard Lights During Heavy Rainstorms?
3 Answers
During heavy rainstorms, it is advisable to turn on the hazard lights. The correct method to activate hazard lights is to press the red triangle button located on the vehicle's dashboard. The purposes of hazard lights are: 1. To alert other vehicles in case of breakdowns, accidents, or emergencies; 2. To prevent rear-end collisions when parking on the roadside. Situations where hazard lights should be used include: 1. Vehicle breakdown or traffic accident on the road; 2. Parking on the roadside; 3. Driving in foggy conditions; 4. When towing a malfunctioning vehicle, both the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle should turn on hazard lights; 5. Temporary parking on the road; 6. Visibility less than 100 meters; 7. Transporting critically ill patients; 8. Reversing or making U-turns on complex road sections.
During heavy rainstorms while driving, I believe it's best not to use hazard lights (double flashing lights), because hazard lights are originally meant to warn others of vehicle breakdowns or parking. Using hazard lights while moving may make other drivers mistakenly think you've stopped, which can more easily lead to rear-end collisions. In extremely low visibility conditions, using fog lights or low beams is actually more effective, as they can penetrate the rain and fog to help other vehicles see you. At the same time, be sure to slow down to a safe speed, maintain at least three times the normal following distance, and ensure your windshield wipers are on the fastest setting to clear water from the windshield. I've seen too many cars on the road using hazard lights, resulting in a confusing sea of flashing lights where it's hard to tell who's moving, actually increasing the risk. Safety first - if the rain is too heavy and visibility is really poor, it's better to find a place to pull over and rest until the rain lightens up before continuing your journey.
Turning on hazard lights during heavy rain sounds like a good idea, but I once had a close call. Visibility was less than 20 meters, and I turned on my hazards to alert cars behind me. However, others had their hazards on too, and the entire road was filled with flashing lights, making it hard to see the movements of the car ahead. Suddenly, a car thought I had stopped and nearly rear-ended me. Since then, I've switched to using front fog lights and rear tail lights instead, while reducing my speed to around 30 km/h and maintaining an extra-long following distance. It's also crucial to check if the windshield wipers are worn out, as water streaks can impair vision, and to ensure the tires have good traction. The combination of wipers and lights is key. Using hazard lights not only didn't help but also distracted others. It's far better to focus on driving safely.
