When to use hazard warning lamps

Hazard warning lamps, are by their nature, lamps that you should not use routinely. However it is important to know when is the correct time to use them, and how to switch them on.

They are usually controlled by a button with a triangle marking on it, which itself flashes on and off when suppressed.

The warning lights will make all the indicators of the car flash at the same time, both front and at the rear of the vehicle.

You should only use the hazard lights when you want to warn other traffic that you've either broken down or had to stop in some sort of emergency: they are as the name implies to offer a warning to other road users that your car prevents a potential hazard in the position it is in.

Ordinarily you should only use them when stopped, but if you have to slow down really quickly on the motorway or on dual carriageway then you can turn them on as a warning to other drivers that they too should slow down more quickly than normal.

You will also have a warning triangle in your car, in most cases, which can be placed well behind a car when you breakdown on the motorway. On a motorway you would typically place the triangle around 150 to 200 metres behind your vehicle.

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