ALT-1 When to use your Hazard Lights
Your hazard lights on your car are one of the greatest safety features you have that can prevent many accidents. First I will tell you what your hazard button looks like if you do not know which one it is. Usually it is a red translucent button with a picture of a triangle inside a triangle. When you press it both of your turn signal indicators, on your dashboard, will start flashing. If your hazards do not come on then you will definitely want to get the problem fixed because like I said the hazard lights are one of the most important safety features in any car.
One of the first reasons to put your hazards on is when there is a farm tractor being driven down the shoulder of the road that other drivers behind you may not see. This will warn them that something is going on ahead of you or near you and they will drive cautiously. Remember that if you have a chance to warn someone sooner about a hazard on the road then you should take advantage of it. This gives more people time to prepare to drive differently if needed. Ignorance is a cause to a lot of accidents because people could not see a hazard that could have been avoided.
Another reason for using your hazards is when you are pulled off to the shoulder of the road to look at a map or to make a call or text message. At night this will alert drivers very early that there is someone or something in the breakdown lane. Many highway accidents happen on the shoulder or breakdown lane at night, because someone else pulled over and did not realize, until it was too late, that someone else was on the shoulder; resulting in a rear crash.
A third reason to use your hazard lights is to warn people about problems with your car which is causing you to drive differently than the flow of traffic. These problems could be a flat tire, engine problems, the car stalling, or even if you are involved in an accident which has caused you to come to a complete stop in the middle of traffic. If you want to warn someone you are having car problems and you are on the shoulder put your hazards on and open up your car hood completely. A car hood up with hazards is a universal sign of car troubles and will alert passing people you need some help, or it will signal a tow truck driver you have called to which one of the vehicles needs help if you are driving with multiple vehicles with you.
