If you see a collision/hazard ahead, warn drivers behind you using one of these methods:

• A. Turn on your emergency flashers
• B. Tap your brake pedal three or four times
• C. Use a hand signal when slowing and stopping
• D. Sound your horn continuously until help arrives

Answer: (A)

When you’re approaching a collision or hazard, the most effective way to warn drivers behind you is to turn on your emergency flashers. These lights flash on and off to grab attention and signal that something ahead requires extra caution from everyone behind you. They’re standardized, easily visible in daylight or at night, and don’t rely on other drivers recognizing slower or nuanced signals.

Tapping the brake pedal to flash brake lights can be misread as normal braking, especially in heavy traffic or on multi-lane roads, so it doesn’t clearly communicate a hazard ahead. A hand signal, while possible in daylight, isn’t reliably seen by all drivers and can be missed in busy or long-distance driving. Continuous honking is loud and can startle or provoke aggression, and it doesn’t convey a clear, universally understood warning about a road hazard. So, the emergency flashers provide the clearest, most universally understood warning to following drivers.