Q: Is it ever permissible to drive with your hazard lights on, say in the event of bad weather or poor visibility or for an emergency?
A: Yes, of course, that's what they are for. We don't want to be over-using them, but we certainly can use them to get the attention of other drivers in a hazardous situation or to warn other motorists of an approaching hazard.
The situations you mentioned seem to me to be good reasons for using the hazard lights. We want everyone to be safe and the hazard lights can be a good tool to use in the right situations. People need to recognize that drivers have them on for a reason, and they should slow down, ahead of time, in all situations, to be safe. Thanks for asking.
Sgt. Curt S. Mowers is a regional public information officer for the Minnesota State Patrol.
