When to Use Hazard Warning Lights in Cars?
3 Answers
Hazard warning lights should be used in the following situations: 1. When the vehicle breaks down; 2. Breakdown on highways; 3. When towing a faulty vehicle; 4. Sudden heavy rain while driving; 5. Transporting critically ill patients; 6. Emergency malfunction during driving; 7. Temporary parking on the road; 8. When involved in a traffic accident; 9. When reversing or making a U-turn; 10. When a training vehicle is practicing; 11. When performing special missions; 12. When assigned special tasks; 13. Special circumstances on highways; 14. When encountering dense fog while driving. Hazard warning lights, generally referred to as emergency flashers, are activated by pressing a red triangular button found in all vehicles.
The hazard lights are emergency warning lights, mainly used in special situations. When the vehicle breaks down and needs to stop temporarily, especially on highways, they must be turned on immediately to alert following vehicles to avoid you. Remember to check for oncoming traffic before getting out to place the triangular warning sign, keeping a distance of at least 50 meters. In severe weather conditions, such as heavy fog, rainstorms, or snowstorms reducing visibility below 100 meters, turning on the hazard lights can enhance vehicle visibility. I usually also turn on the fog lights for added safety. When the vehicle is being towed, both the towing and towed vehicles must keep their hazard lights on—a detail many people tend to overlook. The speed during towing should not exceed 30 km/h, as going faster can be dangerous. Additionally, I’ve heard that some drivers turn on hazard lights when transporting critically ill patients to the hospital, but I recommend contacting traffic police in advance for assistance to ensure a smoother passage. Finally, a reminder: hazard lights should also be used when temporarily loading or unloading goods in non-parking areas, but the duration should not exceed 3 minutes.
Using hazard lights should adhere to the principles of emergency and temporary situations. The most common scenarios include vehicle breakdowns or accidents on the road—after stopping, turn on the hazard lights first before placing a warning triangle to protect the scene and ensure personal safety. During long-distance winter drives when encountering heavy snow that blocks the road, I always turn on the hazard lights and drive slowly with snow chains. On highways, if you come across an accident ahead, activating the hazard lights and slowing down to pass is both legal and safe. For convoy trips, whether to use hazard lights depends on local regulations—coastal cities enforce strict checks, while some regions in the central and western areas may allow it by default. Once during a road trip, I saw a car turn on hazard lights to stop and take photos inside a tunnel, but in reality, stopping is only permitted in designated emergency parking areas within tunnels. Temporarily waiting by the roadside with hazard lights on is fine, but remember not to block fire lanes. It’s best to avoid using them in underground mall parking lots, as it might lead to misinterpretation by security personnel.
