Never use them as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking.
Hazard warning lights on motorway.
This can reduce the chance of vehicles crashing.
When can you use hazard warning lights.
Different countries use hazard warning lights in different ways.
They are also called hazard flashers and hazard lights.
Only use them for long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed.
You must not use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead.
In new zealand we wouldn t use them on a motorway to warn other drivers that we re slowing down but in the uk this is recommended.
You can use your hazard warning lights to warn any vehicles approaching from behind that you are stationary.
If the vehicle in front shows its hazard warning lights there may be an incident stopped traffic or queuing traffic ahead.
The rules on when you should use hazard warning lights are more limited when you re driving or being towed.
Use the hazard warning lights to warn other road users of a danger ahead.
When it is recommended to use hazard warning lights whilst driving.
Briefly using your hazard warning lights will warn the traffic travelling behind you that there s a hazard ahead.
You re driving on a motorway.
By keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front you re able to look beyond it and see any hazards well ahead.
In fact you should never use your hazards when moving unless you need to warn those behind you of danger ahead and you are on a motorway or an unrestricted dual carriageway.
Car incidents accidents and emergencies.
Activating hazard warning lights provides drivers behind that a hazardous situation is ahead.
One use of hazard warning lights which is allowed briefly is if you have to stop abruptly on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway for an obstacle but there is not a vehicle immediately behind you.
When a vehicle is following too closely.
For example if you have to slow down sharply because of a build up of traffic ahead you can use the hazard warning lights to warn following vehicles that they need to slow down.