What can I use as substitute taillights?

97 Ford Explorer. The cable that attaches to my headlight switch from my dash has a broken wire. Thus I have no tail light/running lights (headlamps still come on, though) Replacement part is in on back order, what can I use as taillights to keep me legal? Still need to get around at night for work…

Do you have salvage yard nearby? They may have some. Otherwise can buy a trailer light, as long as it has the run/stop/turn function

You might just run a properly fused 16 or 18 gauge jumper wire from the battery to a toggle on/off switch in the cab then run it back and splice into the tailight/ running light wiring at rear lamps or at switch location if possible. Use a Scotchlock to connect the jumper wire to a taillight/running light power wire that serves both sides… Make sure to use an inline fuse holder for the circuit to avoid short circuit issues… Locate it near the battery with the proper size fuse for the circuit… Same rating as stock fuse for the lamp circuit. Inline fuse holders, switches, etc. Sold at parts stores among other wiring products. May need a wiring diagram to see which wire color is for taillights/running lights or probe wires at sockets or harness areas with a test light to see which ones power up for stop and turn signal… The wire in the harness that does not power those is for taillights or license lamp perhaps.

Careful in your wiring, I've seen some guys "repair" their turn signals by re-wiring themselves, and when done it didn't matter if it was a left or right turn, the turn signal would light up all the lights and they would flash like hazard lights. Might want to wait til your part gets here and do it right, or as Kevin suggested, get what you need from the junk yard.

There isn't anything. You just gonna have to use other cars as shields, duck into a gas station if you see a cop, and other such strategy like people who keep driving hoopties with no tags for years.

if it were me, id do the same thing I'd do for any charging cable my dog chewed up that I needed to use and couldn't replace soon… Strip the wire about a quarter to half inch at the ends on the break, splice them together,
then tape it up with electrical tape. Its not a proper repair but it will work until the part comes in.

disconnect the battery before splicing the wire.

The cable that attaches to my headlight switch from my dash has a broken wire.
Replacement part is in on back order,

If your problem is a broken wire, you DO NOT need a new part. You need to REPAIR the wire. In any case, a substitute isn't even theoretically possible.