road safety Use of HAZARD LAMPS in India

[SK01]

Hello India-Drive men.

I'm back after a long time with a new post on HAZARD LAMPS. This is a discussion post on the uses of a HAZARD LAMPA in India.

Please do share your views on the post.

Almost every car and now a days few bikes in India are coming equipped with a HAZARD LAMP but people very rarely use that. 

Few people doesn't even know what that switch with a RED TRIANGLE mark is?

 

While there are few people who use it, few in a proper way few always use it.

 

Here are my views on the uses of HAZARD LAMPS and how I use it.

 

> While entering a TUNNEL/DARK area where the visibility is low or zero.

 

> While it's RAINING heavily as the visibility is low.

 

>  While REVERSING  our vehicle .

 

> While going in SMOKY/FOGY area where the visibility is low.

 

> When suddenly BRAKING/CHANGING LANES on a highway.

 

> When using a WRONG LANE/OPPOSITE LANE.

 

> When the vehicle comes to halt.

 

> When OVERTAKING In a two laned road.

 

 

Here are few instances where I use my HAZARD LAMPS.

 

Questions and doubts i have on HAZARD LAMPS:

 

Recently I read an article in CarToq where they mentioned "HAZARD LAMPS should only be used when the vehicle comes to HALT" 

The name it self suggests that they should be used in a DANGEROUS situation. So why only use it when the vehicle comes to halt?

 

please feel free to discuss on the topic and share your views.

also share in your social networks. Let's educate people and avoid accidents.

 

[Saran]

4 hours ago, Krish said:

 please feel free to discuss on the topic and share your views. 

It shouldn't be used when you do lane change. You have to use the appropriate indicator for it. Either left or right.

 

 

[SK01]

It shouldn't be used when you do lane change. U have to use the appropriate indicator for it. Either left or right.

Sent from my S7 - Using India-Drive App

I meant sudden lane change.
Indicators will not draw attention when we suddenly change a lane where as hazard lamps draws the attention.

Miles to go before I sleep

[Sridhar Tandra]

@Krish I second what @Saran said, even if it is sudden change of lane (we never do a drastic change of lane and we will not be in a situation to turn hazard lights on in case if we do it in emergency), try and use your indicators as much as you can because like you said most of them do not know what's happening if you switch on your hazard lights all of a sudden. 

 

You are right on your doubt on Cartoq article, these lights can be used in multiple situations and not only while the vehicle comes to halt. You can use them in dark places, foggy conditions where the light is absolutely zero, In heavy rains again with very poor visibility etc.,

[Gowtham]

21 hours ago, Krish said:

While entering a TUNNEL/DARK area where the visibility is low or zero.

One should avoid using it in tunnels, simple step is to turn on the head lamps.
I agree that our eyes will take some time to adjust the lighting.

But from the past few years most of the big tunnels are well lit.

Mumbai-Pune express way.

 

21 hours ago, Krish said:

While it's RAINING heavily as the visibility is low.

 

21 hours ago, Krish said:

While going in SMOKY/FOGY area where the visibility is low.

 

If our is broke down in the middle of the road during heavy rain/foggy day.
How will we indicate that car is not moving.
Hazard lamps should not be used in rain/fog, while we are moving.
If we stop due to poor visibility, use hazard lamps.
 

21 hours ago, Krish said:

When suddenly BRAKING/CHANGING LANES on a highway

Sudden braking : YES
Lane change : NO

Example : Humans, dogs.. crosiing the road without any indication. 
You can alert the other driver by using hazard lamps.
 

21 hours ago, Krish said:

When using a WRONG LANE/OPPOSITE LANE.

Can be used, If you going on the wrong lane is unavoidable. 

 

21 hours ago, Krish said:

When OVERTAKING In a two laned road.

 

Hazard lamps should be used only during breakdown or emergency braking.
Some manufacturers like ford has this feature.
If you brake heavily, while travelling above 100/hr, hazard lights are switched on automatically, predicting a crash. 
 

[SK01]

25 minutes ago, Ranger said:

 
Hazard lamps should be used only during breakdown or emergency braking.
Some manufacturers like ford has this feature.
If you brake heavily, while travelling above 100/hr, hazard lights are switched on automatically, predicting a crash. 
 

Very well explained Ranger.
All my doubts cleared.

Miles to go before I sleep
 

[Naveen1]

Good intiative Krish.
Got to understand many important points.
You post will definitely and discussions enlighten many.

[SK01]

2 hours ago, driveking said:

Good intiative Krish.
Got to understand many important points.
You post will definitely and discussions enlighten many.

Thanks a lot @driveking

I will happy if my posts helps someone gain knowledge and drive safe.

[sagar]

Nice article @Krish. But, I feel it is totally incorrect to switch on the “Parking lights” in the tunnels because, those lights are to be only during certain times when we park the vehicles or we happen to apply sudden brakes just to alarm the cars behind you about a chaotic front ahead of you. It will create problems while changing lane in the tunnel if we switch on the hazard light. 

[Pralay]

I use hazard light only at the time of parking & halt in a dark area.

 

To my knowledge, one should avoid hazard lights in heavy rain. It creates lot of confusion while shifting lane or taking a turn. Its better to park the the car in heavy rain & wait to settle it down (of course unless emergency).

 

In any other situations, driver will bot be able to communicate if hazard lights are on!

 

Personal views expressed, do not intended to hurt anybody's view.

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

[SK01]

Thank you@Pralay and@sagar

Miles to go before I sleep

[nitin88]

On 9/20/2017 at 0:52 PM, Krish said:

Hello India-Drive men.

I'm back after a long time with a new post on HAZARD LAMPS. This is a discussion post on the uses of a HAZARD LAMPA in India.

Please do share your views on the post.

Almost every car and now a days few bikes in India are coming equipped with a HAZARD LAMP but people very rarely use that. 

Few people doesn't even know what that switch with a RED TRIANGLE mark is?

 

While there are few people who use it, few in a proper way few always use it.

 

Here are my views on the uses of HAZARD LAMPS and how I use it.

 

> While entering a TUNNEL/DARK area where the visibility is low or zero.

No  you shouldn't use it. Using Hazzard lights while driving is illegal

On 9/20/2017 at 0:52 PM, Krish said:

 

> While it's RAINING heavily as the visibility is low.

No  you shouldn't use it. Using Hazzard lights while driving is illegal

On 9/20/2017 at 0:52 PM, Krish said:

>  While REVERSING  our vehicle .

No  you shouldn't use it.

On 9/20/2017 at 0:52 PM, Krish said:

 

> While going in SMOKY/FOGY area where the visibility is low.

No  you shouldn't use it. Fog lamps are there for that purpose.

On 9/20/2017 at 0:52 PM, Krish said:

 

> When suddenly BRAKING/CHANGING LANES on a highway.

Absolutely no

On 9/20/2017 at 0:52 PM, Krish said:

 

> When using a WRONG LANE/OPPOSITE LANE.

Never even think of driving in wrong lane and again no Hazzard lights while driving

On 9/20/2017 at 0:52 PM, Krish said:

 

> When the vehicle comes to halt.

 

> When OVERTAKING In a two laned road.

 

NO NO NO

 

Sorry mate, you just posted all when not to use cases.

[SK01]

Thanks for the response guys.

Now I got to know that different people have different idea and views on the usage of HAZARD LAMPS all depends on their experience...

I want more and more people to respond and help people gain knowledge.

 

 

 

Miles to go before I sleep

 

 

 

 

[Gowtham]

@nitin88 Agree with your points.
 

2 hours ago, nitin88 said:

Absolutely no

In a developed country where they have proper lane system, I agree with your point.

Regarding the sudden braking scenario, during a chaos. 
My Ford Fiesta/Figo used to lit up the hazard lamps automatically, when braking from above 100km/hr.

Recently, I started using Hazard lamps during unexpected speed bumps, bikes/village/animal crossings.

It can helpful in alerting, when you have a tailgater, specially on a busy highway. 

 

 

[SK01]

[mention=92]nitin88[/mention] Agree with your points.
 
In a developed country where they have proper lane system, I agree with your point.

Regarding the sudden braking scenario, during a chaos. 
My Ford Fiesta/Figo used to lit up the hazard lamps automatically, when braking from above 100km/hr.

Recently, I started using Hazard lamps during unexpected speed bumps, bikes/village/animal crossings.
It can helpful in alerting, when you have a tailgater, specially on a busy highway. 
 

 

Same thing my father said.
When we are on a high speed expressway there's need to alert the tailgater about the chaotic move ahead us and also when we can't predict the move ahead us, this especially happens when over taking a truck or a bus on both the lanes. Criss cross over taking so that the tailgater would stop over taking us and also be alert.


Miles to go before I sleep