How to use emergency lights correctly, is there a penalty if you stop parking and turn on the lights?

What is an emergency light?

Emergency lights are equipped for cars to use when the vehicle has a problem and has to stop/park on the road. When a car turns on the emergency lights, it means that the car is in trouble, so other cars need to pay attention and actively avoid the car to avoid a collision.

In addition, emergency lights also work to attract the attention and help of other drivers or pedestrians. Moreover, in bad weather, the driver can also turn on the emergency lights so that the vehicles can identify to avoid a collision.

Can you stop/park and turn on the emergency lights?

According to Clause 1, Clause 2, Article 18 of the Law on Road Traffic No. 23/2008/QH12, the definition of stopping/parking is understood as follows:

Stopping a vehicle is a temporary stationary state of a vehicle for a necessary period of time to allow people to get on or off the vehicle, load or unload goods or perform other work.

– Parking is the stationary state of the vehicle with no time limit.

According to the provisions of Articles 18 and 19 of the Law on Road Traffic, drivers of vehicles participating in traffic when stopping or parking must comply with the regulations not to leave vehicles in the roadway or sidewalk in contravention of regulations as well as where there are signs prohibiting stopping and parking.

In case the vehicle is participating in traffic but the vehicle has a problem or breakdown, must stop / park at a place with a sign prohibiting stopping and parking and have to turn on the emergency lights, it will comply with the regulations and will not be administratively sanctioned.

In the opposite direction, if you abuse the emergency lights to stop and park illegally at a place where there are no stopping/parking signs, but your car does not have problems or breakdowns, you will be fined from VND 800,000 to VND 800,000. 1 million dong for parking where there is a sign saying “No parking” or a sign “Prohibit stopping and parking”… based on point e, clause 3, Article 5 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP.

Thus, when the vehicle encounters a problem or breakdown, the vehicle operator can stop and turn on the emergency lights at places with prohibited signs without being penalized. However, those who take advantage of the emergency lights to stop illegally will be strictly handled in accordance with the law.