Posted on Sun 07/24/05 in South Florida
Hey, is that rain I see ahead? I think it is. Maybe I should turn on my flashing hazard lights so the other drivers will know it’s raining ahead. Yes, that is what I will do. I mean, if I don’t alert them about the rain, they might forget to turn on their windshield wipers!
As I drive through a rainstorm, I imagine that the above paragraph is exactly what is going through the head of drivers who have turned on their emergency flashing hazard lights. I can only assume they’ve turned them on … because it’s raining.
My mom told me that I shouldn’t do things just because someone else does them first. In addition, having achieved my driver’s license and been through traffic school once or twice, I feel fairly knowledgeable about the written laws of driving in Florida (note: the unwritten survival guide for driving in Florida is completely different).
And one thing that I do not understand is
WHY DO PEOPLE TURN ON THEIR FLASHING HAZARDS WHEN IT’S RAINING?
Did somebody teach them this? Who started this trend? Is this like just some widespread rumor that hasn’t reached me yet?
The answer is NO. Nobody taught anyone anything. It is a misconception that a recreational driver should turn his flashing hazards on while driving in the rain. And I intend to explain why:
THE COMON SENSE REASON
Have you ever eaten a bunch of LSD and driven through a construction zone? Wait… nevermind that analogy.
Ask yourself this? When you are driving and it starts to rain and your visibility is greatly reduced, what do you concentrate on? ... Brake lights? Good answer. I am the exact same way. I am trying to look for the brake lights of the car in front of me. Why? Well, when I see them, it tells me that they are slowing down and that I should also slow down. But, when all seven cars around me have their FLASHING HAZARD LIGHTS ON, IT MAKES IT A BIT DIFFICULT TO CONCENTRATE ON BRAKE LIGHTS WHEN I AM LOOKING FOR THE HAZARD THAT ALL THE OTHER CARS AROUND ME SEEM TO SEE!!!!
So, the point is: They don’t help, so turn them off.
THE LEGAL REASON
Since I don’t do something just because everyone else is doing it, I prefer to check the law books if I am not sure of something.
And after reviewing Florida statue Section 2397 of Chapter 316 under Title XXIII, I discovered that it is actually against the law to drive with your flashing hazard lights on simply because it is raining (unless you fall under the exemptions… which are described in Section 2397).
Some highlights of this section are the following paragraphs:
(7) Flashing lights are prohibited on vehicles except as a means of indicating a right or left turn, to change lanes, or to indicate that the vehicle is lawfully stopped or disabled upon the highway or except that the lamps authorized in subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), and (9) and s. 316.235(5) are permitted to flash.
(10) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.
And as a wise Johnny once said, “Case closed; I’m outta here!”
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