Using Your Hazard Lamps (When You’re The Hazard)

Q: One time I helped a person drive home a car that could not achieve the speed limit. The road was two-lane and curved. I put on my emergency flashers, concerned that some speeding driver would come from behind. The only car around was a WSP trooper who pulled me over and made me turn off the emergency lights. I see slow-moving trucks with their emergency lights all the time. What gives?

A: Let’s acknowledge a couple things: the misuse of hazard lamps is not why we’re having more traffic crashes, and I can’t answer on behalf of the trooper that asked you to turn them off. But I think hazard lamp laws are fascinating. (That might be the first time anyone has written that sentence.) Note that I said “laws” plural. On its own, Washington’s law on hazard lamps is pretty ordinary. Where it gets interesting is when you start comparing laws around the country.