Hazard lights have been one of the most underrated features of a vehicle. A lot of people either never use them, or misuse them a lot. The Shillong Traffic Police has shared a post on its official social media handles, to educate motorists about the difference between the correct use and misuse of Hazard Lights. Shillong Traffic Police has also given a warning, that the violations of the specified rules and the misuse of these hazard lights would lead to the issuance of several challans. As per Shillong’s traffic department, a lot of ignorant drivers use the hazard warning lights as a way to indicate that they are going straight at junctions, which is a wrong practice and is punishable under Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
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According to the Shillong traffic police department, “Many of our drivers are misusing it to go straight. In fact, some of us actually don’t know what exactly it is used for. Be careful and responsible in using signals, next time you might get a challan under 177 MV Act”. Speaking about the rules, Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act covers the general provision for punishment of offences under which a fine up to Rs 100 is imposed for committing the offence on the first occasion, while the next offence leads to a fine of Rs 300. In order to avoid any confusion, the Shillong traffic police department clearly stated that the hazard lights need not be used while driving on a straight patch of road.
Actually, the use of Hazard lights should only be restricted to when a vehicle is stationary. It is used to indicate that the vehicle is parked on the road or is in a dangerous position. It is usually switched on when the vehicle is broken or stranded roadside, to warn the other cars about the stationary obstruction on the road. However, a lot of people in India, misuse the hazard lights, usually while driving in foggy or rainy conditions when the visibility is very extremely low, to indicate their presence and alert other drivers. The use of hazard lights flashes both the indicator at the same time, which ultimately restricts the use of a single indicator when needed. This leads to confusion at junctions with sharp turns.