What is the placement distance for a warning triangle on the highway?
2 Answers
On the highway, the warning triangle should be placed at least 150 meters away during the day and at least 250 meters away at night. There are three key points to note when driving on the highway: 1. Entering the highway: Speed should be increased to at least 60 km/h as soon as possible. Vehicles entering from the ramp must accelerate in the acceleration lane and should not obstruct vehicles already in the main lane when merging. They should initially drive in the outer lane. 2. While driving: Vehicles should stay in their designated lanes. Small passenger vehicles should drive in the middle lane, while large buses and trucks should drive in the right lane. 3. Avoid arbitrary lane changes: When changing lanes or overtaking, the turn signal must be activated in advance. At night, drivers should also switch between high and low beams to confirm safety before changing lanes. Overtaking should only be done using adjacent lanes.
I've been in long-distance transportation for over a decade and have encountered several breakdowns on highways. Each time, I strictly followed the regulation of placing the warning triangle at least 150 meters behind the vehicle. Why so far? Because highway speeds are fast, typically 80 to 120 km/h, and drivers behind need sufficient reaction time. 150 meters is equivalent to more than half the length of a standard football field, allowing other drivers to spot the red warning from afar and slow down in advance to avoid collisions. I remember one rainy midnight when I had a tire blowout. After turning on the hazard lights, I went to place the triangle. Estimating the distance inaccurately can lead to accidents, so using a phone's distance measurement function or brisk walking for about 20 seconds usually gets you to the right spot. In poor weather conditions, it's safer to place it even farther, up to 200 meters. After placing it, quickly move to the roadside outside the shoulder to wait for assistance—don't linger near the vehicle. These safety details can save lives, so never take them lightly.
