Is it illegal to drive with your hazard lights on? Leaving them flashing could see you fined for careless driving

MOTORISTS who use their hazard lights while driving could be slapped with a fine.

While you should flick them on to alert other drivers if you've broken down, leaving your hazards flashing while you car is moving could land you in trouble.

As set out in the Highway Code, motorists are discouraged from using their hazards while driving.

The only exception is if you are on a motorway or dual carriageway and are using them to warn drivers of an incident up ahead.

But even in that instance, you should only use them for a brief period to let other drivers know of the hazard, then switch them off.

When talking about hazard light use, the Highway Code states: "Never use them as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking.

"You MUST NOT use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed, unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead.

"Only use them for long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed."

And while there is no set penalty or fine amount for driving with your hazards on, motoring experts claim they could contribute to you being charged with a separate offence.

Some motorists think it's a good idea to use their hazard lights when driving through thick fog or heavy rain, but that can actually be dangerous for other road users.

While your hazard lights are flashing, you won't be able to use your indicators as they operate on the same bulbs.

This means other vehicles won't be able to tell if you are going to turn, and could lead to confusion on the road.

If you driving with your hazard lights on results in an accident, you could be charged with driving without due care and attention (or careless driving), which could see you fined £100 and receive three penalty points.

Careless driving carries a maximum £2,500 fine and nine points if you were to take the charge to court - but it's highly unlikely a hazard light offence would go that far.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Research, said: “According to Rule 116 in the Highway Code, hazard warning lights may be used when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it is temporarily obstructing traffic.

“It is a grey area because you can use them when moving to alert other traffic to a hazard ahead and they don’t define ‘only use them long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed’ so our advice would be to use them sensibly and for the police to be as flexible as possible in enforcing the regulations.

“Hazard warning lights should not be used when they could cause confusion. If you are driving very slowly due to a car problem and are about to stop, ensure you switch them off if you are carrying out a manoeuvre, such as turning left or right.

"It would be ironic if your use of hazard warning lights became the cause of a collision. If you were fined, it would most likely be £100 plus three points fixed penalty for careless driving.”