When a driver activates the hazard warning lights switch, all four indicators on the driver’s car will flash simultaneously and continuously. The purpose of this switch is to alert other nearby drivers of an issue on your car which could make it an obstruction.
But in what situations is it actually appropriate to use your hazard lights? It’s possible that at times when certain driver thinks it’s appropriate to activate their hazard lights, it actually isn’t by law. Misuse of your car’s hazard lights can in itself create its own potential hazard and even lead to penalties and fines.
What the law says about hazard lights
So how are you supposed to know when hazard lights are meant to be used? Well once source of information worth checking is the highway code. In regards hazard warning lights, the Highway Code states that they may be used “when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it is temporarily obstructing traffic”.
The Highway Code also states that hazard warning lights should not be used while driving or being towed. The only exceptions to this rule are if “you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead”. Furthermore, hazard lights should only be used “long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed”.
It’s also emphasised by the Highway Code that hazard lights should never be used “as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking”.
If you’re on a road outside of the motorway and your car develops a problem, it may seem courteous and even logical to activate your hazard warning lights to alert nearby drivers.
If all of your indicators are flashing at once however, it can be unclear to other drivers what direction or lane you intend to go in and when. Such unclear communication can therefore make hazard lights a danger to other motorists on an ordinary road.
The same issues apply if you turn on your hazard lights just because you’re driving slowly, maybe because you’re looking for a particular building or you’re travelling the wrong direction up a road. Just because a situation may be stressful does not warrant the use of hazard lights.
One more thing, if you want to use hazard lights while stationary, check that there isn’t anything behind your car that may be obstructing the view to your car’s taillights. The last thing you’d want to do is to accidently trick people into thinking your car is about to pull out into the nearby lane because one of the taillights is obscured.
Want to learn more about lights on cars? Check out our guides on the different types of car headlights available, as well as our guide to Daytime Running Lights.
