Using Your Hazard Lights

I did not know this...

From an article by Accuweather about using your hazard lights:

It might seem like a smart precaution to take in wet weather, but experts advise against doing it -- and a majority of states in the United States have outlawed the practice.

If you have turned on your hazard lights while driving in rainy conditions, there's a good chance you've broken the law, depending on which state you live in. And if you haven't broken the law, there's a chance you may have increased the likelihood of causing a dangerous situation to unfold.

Officials emphasize that flashers should only be used while a vehicle is stopped or disabled on the roadway or the shoulder of a road. The hazard lights serve as a sign for emergency services that a motorist is in need of assistance.

"Hazard lights are for vehicles that are stopped and pulled over on the side of the road." Eddy Durkin, the public safety information coordinator for the city of Tampa, told AccuWeather in an interview. "It is not for moving vehicles."

Also this:

The District of Columbia and 20 states allow drivers to use hazard lights while a vehicle is driving, while 30 states do not. If you are unsure of the hazard light laws in your state, AAA has a useful list of states that allow and prohibit the practice.

This is an email I dug up, after reading your post:

According to AAA, hazard lights are NOT permitted while driving in Ohio "except when a hazardous condition is present". Intense rain and snow would generally qualify under that exception. There's not much rhyme or reason for individual state policy on this.

Then again, Ohio is 'weird.'

Did you see this FMCSA SS? Ohio's Hazard Lights Laws:

There should be something similar for MANY (if not ALL) states, haha! I just 'save' the Ohio stuff.

This could be an interesting thread!! Hope all pitch in!! THANKS!

~ Anne ~

Well, if I feel a need to use em in a emergency ON the roadway, I will. Like say you're driving along, and all of a sudden, ahead of you traffics bunching up to a stop, like others do, I flip em on to warn those behind me we are stopping QUICK ! So I ain't rear ended in the process, like LA Traffic lol happens a LOT

Well, if I feel a need to use em in a emergency ON the roadway, I will. Like say you're driving along, and all of a sudden, ahead of you traffics bunching up to a stop, like others do, I flip em on to warn those behind me we are stopping QUICK ! So I ain't rear ended in the process, like LA Traffic lol happens a LOT

Same here. Plus in some states you see signs saying to use flashers (usually on hills) below 40mph. I use flashers when I'm struggling up a hill whether I see a sign or not. In fog if I have to go slow bc I can't see I'll use flashers too. At least in Ohio (thanks, Anne) it's OK to use flashers in adverse weather conditions.

This is the first time I ever heard of laws against using flashers