Warning triangle

<h2 id="legal">Legal</h2>
<h3>Germany</h3>
<p>According to § 15 StVO, a stranded vehicle must be secured with a warning triangle at a sufficient distance, whereby the law orders a minimum distance of 100 metres in the case of fast traffic, such as motorways. This applies not only to the driver of broken-down vehicles, but also the rescue service that stops and offers help. If the vehicle is removed from the breakdown site, the warning triangle must be collected; it is not allowed to leave it standing.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> In a few cases, a warning triangle may not be placed, if the circumstances do not allow it to be placed safely or practicable (e.g. due to rescuing severely injured people, which may be prioritized).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>
</p>
<h3>United Kingdom</h3>
<p>When present, a warning triangle must be placed at least 45 metres ahead of the accident site. Placement of triangles on motorways is, on the other hand, strongly dissuaded.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a>
</p>
<h3>Russian Federation</h3>
<p>Paragraph 7.2 of the traffic regulations: When the vehicle is stopped and the alarm is turned on, as well as in case of its malfunction or absence, the emergency stop sign must be immediately displayed: in
case of a traffic accident;
when forced to stop in places where it is prohibited, and where, taking into account the visibility conditions, the vehicle cannot be noticed by other drivers in a timely manner.
This sign is installed at a distance that provides timely warning of danger to other drivers in a specific situation. However, this distance must be at least 15 m from the vehicle in populated areas and 30 m outside populated areas.
</p><p>Paragraph 7.3 of the traffic regulations: In the absence or malfunction of an alarm system on a towed mechanical vehicle, an emergency stop sign must be fixed on its rear part.
</p>
<h3>Australia</h3>
<p>Under the <a href="/facts/Australian_Road_Rules/ce5MgGWy">Australian Road Rules</a>, all heavy vehicles (<a href="/facts/Gross_vehicle_mass/Cl8KLRml">GVM</a> over 12 <a href="/facts/Tonne/gMymLmWv">tonnes</a>) must carry 3 portable warning triangles which comply with <a href="/facts/Australian_Standard/zvSwvYsX">AS</a> 3790.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>
</p><p>If the driver stops on a road, or if the load being carried falls onto the road, warning triangles must be used to warn other road users.
</p><p>For roads with a speed limit of 80 km/h or more, if the vehicle (or load) cannot be seen for at least 300m in all directions, the warning triangles must be placed:
</p>
<ul><li>200-250m behind the hazard,</li>
<li>200-250m in front of the hazard, and</li>
<li>directly alongside the hazard.</li></ul>
<p>When the speed limit is under 80 km/h, if the vehicle (or load) is not visible for at least 200m in all directions, the warning triangles must be placed:
</p>
<ul><li>50-100m behind the hazard,</li>
<li>50-100m in front of the hazard, and</li>
<li>directly alongside the hazard.</li></ul>
<h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2>
<ul><li>Allen, Merrill J., Stanley D. Miller, and James L. Short. "The effect of flares and triangular distress signals on highway traffic." <i>Optometry and Vision Science</i> 50.4 (1973): 305–315.</li>
<li>Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations; Technical Amendments, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=veOORam8S_8C&dq=%22warning+triangle%22+Allen+speed&pg=PA49588">59 Fed. Reg. 49,585, 49,588</a> (September 29, 1994) (summarizes research about warning triangles)</li>
<li><a href="https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-16-27&chapter=11&clang=_en">United Nations Regulation No. 27. Uniform provisions concerning the approval of advance-warning triangles</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>BGH, Urteil vom 1. Juli 1975, AZ VI ZR 238/73 <a href="/wiki/Bundesgerichtshof" target="_blank">/wiki/Bundesgerichtshof</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>BGH, Urteil vom 17. Oktober 2000, AZ VI ZR 313/99 <a href="/wiki/Bundesgerichtshof" target="_blank">/wiki/Bundesgerichtshof</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Highway Code, Rule 274: Breakdowns (retrieved 2 January 2014) <a href="https://www.gov.uk/breakdowns-and-incidents-274-to-287/" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/breakdowns-and-incidents-274-to-287/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>"Australian Road Rules". National Transport Commission. Division 4—Portable warning triangles for heavy vehicles. Retrieved 14 January 2025. <a href="https://www.ntc.gov.au/laws-and-regulations/australian-road-rules" target="_blank">https://www.ntc.gov.au/laws-and-regulations/australian-road-rules</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"AS 3790-1992 Portable Warning Triangles for Motor Vehicles". Intertek Inform. Standards Australia. 12 October 1992. Retrieved 14 January 2025. <a href="https://www.intertekinform.com/en-au/Standards/Product-Details-122534_SAIG_AS_AS_257231/?ProductID=122534_SAIG_AS_AS_257231" target="_blank">https://www.intertekinform.com/en-au/Standards/Product-Details-122534_SAIG_AS_AS_257231/?ProductID=122534_SAIG_AS_AS_257231</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Warning triangle open-in-new

Warning triangle