In which situation is it acceptable to use your hazard warning lights?

Using hazard warning lights is primarily meant to alert other road users to a potential hazard or to indicate that your vehicle is not moving as expected. In the case of a breakdown, activating hazard lights serves to inform other drivers that your vehicle is experiencing an issue and is either stopped on the road or moving slowly, thus helping to prevent accidents.

In a breakdown situation, it is critical to communicate to surrounding vehicles that there is a problem, and using hazard lights is a universally recognized signal for this purpose. It ensures that other road users can take appropriate action, such as changing lanes or slowing down, to avoid any potential danger.

In contrast, while hazard lights may seem useful in other situations such as traffic jams, legal parking, or waiting at a traffic light, they do not serve the same purpose as in a breakdown scenario. For example, using hazard lights when parked legally could confuse other drivers, as there is no hazard; the vehicle is simply stationary. Similarly, in a traffic jam or when waiting for a traffic light, standard vehicle lights are sufficient to indicate the vehicle's presence and intentions without the need for hazard indicators.