Why it's not safe to flash hazard lights while driving in the rain
By
Chaffin Mitchell, AccuWeather staff writer
A car seen through a wet windshield driving in the rain with hazard lights flashing, something safety experts recommend should never be done. (iStock / Getty Images Plus)
(iStock / Getty Images Plus)
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."
Durkin added that it's unwise to flash hazard lights while a vehicle is driving on the road, even if conditions are not rainy. "Regardless of the weather conditions -- if you are driving a moving vehicle, do not activate your flashing lights. It will only cause confusion and compromise your safety," Durkin said.
Hazard lights can actually reduce visibility making other drivers think you are stopped or stalled. The flashing can also obscure other lights on a vehicle and make it difficult to see if motorists ahead are tapping on the brakes. Plus, they don't allow motorists to use a vehicle's turn signals.
"A motorist behind you might mistake it for a turn signal or assume that you are tapping on your brakes. They are called hazard lights because they signal a hazard -- that your car has broken down, or you have been in an accident," Durkin said.
Experts say even if it's legal in your state, driving in the rain with hazard lights flashing is still a bad idea. (AccuWeather)
Durkin pointed out that there is one situation in which hazard lights are appropriate for moving vehicles and that is during a funeral procession.
Indeed, many local law enforcement agencies take to social media during rain events to remind drivers not to use hazard lights while a vehicle is driving.
"The best advice while driving in the rain is to adjust your speed to the conditions by slowing down and leave more room between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you, more than three or four seconds," Durkin advised.
Durkin warned that if a driver is caught in a storm that has caused significant flooding, a motorist should not drive through standing water because the car could become stuck. Moreover, the driver will not know if any part of a roadway has been washed away.
And Durkin is not the only expert who spoke with AccuWeather about risks drivers should keep in mind when navigating rainy roads.
"One of the most dangerous times to drive is soon after it begins to rain, as oils on roadways make for slick conditions," Chris Hayes, second vice president of risk control and transportation for Travelers.com, told AccuWeather.
Cars driving on a wet road in the rain with headlights. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Experts say waiting a few minutes, rather than rushing to your destination, can be a safer plan when it is raining.
"Turn your headlights on to help other vehicles see you. Many states require the use of headlights during rain, even in broad daylight," Hayes said.
Hayes also recommends giving other vehicles more space.
"Add one to two extra seconds of following time in the rain, which gives you and the cars behind you more time to react to traffic," Hayes said.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) completed a study that investigated the number of motor vehicle crashes, injuries and deaths that occurred in the U.S. from 2010 to 2014 in relation to the weather conditions and weather-related roadway surface conditions at the time of the crash.
The majority of all crashes over the study period (86.2 percent) occurred in clear weather. Among crashes that did not occur in clear weather, the condition present in the greatest proportion of crashes was rain (9.2 percent).
The study said rainfall was associated with elevated crash rates even after accounting for traffic volume.
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.
For more safety and preparedness tips, visit AccuWeather.com/Ready.
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Why it's not safe to flash hazard lights while driving in the rain
By Chaffin Mitchell, AccuWeather staff writer
A car seen through a wet windshield driving in the rain with hazard lights flashing, something safety experts recommend should never be done. (iStock / Getty Images Plus)
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."
Durkin added that it's unwise to flash hazard lights while a vehicle is driving on the road, even if conditions are not rainy. "Regardless of the weather conditions -- if you are driving a moving vehicle, do not activate your flashing lights. It will only cause confusion and compromise your safety," Durkin said.
Hazard lights can actually reduce visibility making other drivers think you are stopped or stalled. The flashing can also obscure other lights on a vehicle and make it difficult to see if motorists ahead are tapping on the brakes. Plus, they don't allow motorists to use a vehicle's turn signals.
"A motorist behind you might mistake it for a turn signal or assume that you are tapping on your brakes. They are called hazard lights because they signal a hazard -- that your car has broken down, or you have been in an accident," Durkin said.
Experts say even if it's legal in your state, driving in the rain with hazard lights flashing is still a bad idea. (AccuWeather)
Durkin pointed out that there is one situation in which hazard lights are appropriate for moving vehicles and that is during a funeral procession.
Indeed, many local law enforcement agencies take to social media during rain events to remind drivers not to use hazard lights while a vehicle is driving.
"The best advice while driving in the rain is to adjust your speed to the conditions by slowing down and leave more room between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you, more than three or four seconds," Durkin advised.
Durkin warned that if a driver is caught in a storm that has caused significant flooding, a motorist should not drive through standing water because the car could become stuck. Moreover, the driver will not know if any part of a roadway has been washed away.
And Durkin is not the only expert who spoke with AccuWeather about risks drivers should keep in mind when navigating rainy roads.
"One of the most dangerous times to drive is soon after it begins to rain, as oils on roadways make for slick conditions," Chris Hayes, second vice president of risk control and transportation for Travelers.com, told AccuWeather.
Cars driving on a wet road in the rain with headlights. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Experts say waiting a few minutes, rather than rushing to your destination, can be a safer plan when it is raining.
"Turn your headlights on to help other vehicles see you. Many states require the use of headlights during rain, even in broad daylight," Hayes said.
Hayes also recommends giving other vehicles more space.
"Add one to two extra seconds of following time in the rain, which gives you and the cars behind you more time to react to traffic," Hayes said.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) completed a study that investigated the number of motor vehicle crashes, injuries and deaths that occurred in the U.S. from 2010 to 2014 in relation to the weather conditions and weather-related roadway surface conditions at the time of the crash.
The majority of all crashes over the study period (86.2 percent) occurred in clear weather. Among crashes that did not occur in clear weather, the condition present in the greatest proportion of crashes was rain (9.2 percent).
The study said rainfall was associated with elevated crash rates even after accounting for traffic volume.
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.
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For more safety and preparedness tips, visit AccuWeather.com/Ready.