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Published on Saturday, August 26, 2006
in the Ft. Myers News-Press
Hazard lights stir debate of driving cultures
It's illegal to use lights while vehicle is moving.
Some drivers in Southwest Florida flip their hazard lights on during rain storms or brush fires.
Their rationale: They can be better seen by other drivers, especially if they're traveling slower than the posted speed limit.
The problem: Driving with hazard lights on is technically illegal in Florida. State troopers say it can do more harm than good.
But according to public records, the little-known statute is rarely enforced in Lee County.
Just eight tickets were written for unlawfully displaying hazard lights from July 23, 2005, to Aug. 23, 2006, according to the clerk of courts. A total of 85 citations were filed under the main statute that includes hazard lights, but many of those were for illegal lights displayed on cars.
According to the statute, only vehicles that are disabled or lawfully stopped can have hazard lights in use.
Florida Highway Patrol Capt. Eddie Johnson, who oversees the Fort Myers district, said his troopers aren't actively enforcing this rule on Interstate 75 and other major roadways. Troopers conduct special details to catch speeders, aggressive drivers and drunk drivers. But they don't actively seek out motorists flashing lights down the road, he said.
"I wouldn't recommend using them," Johnson said. "In a huge rain storms, if you see a set of lights come on, you brake and then the car brakes behind you."
Different driving cultures scattered in Florida make the law potentially confusing, FHP Lt. Doug Dodson said, because some states don't have the same rule in place. In the winter up north, some drivers use hazard lights during heavy snowstorms. Dodson said hazard lights could jeopardize safety for other drivers.
"It depends on the perception of the driver," Dodson said. "It might appear that they are stopped or there's a crash or there's some obstruction in the road. So they might stop, and that might cause a chain reaction."
Ruth Cliffe, 72, of North Fort Myers, said she didn't see anyone driving with flashing lights when it was raining during her recent trip to and from upstate New York.
"I only see it when somebody is going really slow, way under the speed limit," Cliff said. "The only time we used them was when we picked something up that didn't quite fit in the car. We couldn't drive as fast."
Unauthorized flashing lights are considered a nonmoving violation in Florida, punishable with a fine of about $70.
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