Driving in the fog? Remember these tips
You often think of snow and ice as potential weather hazards during the winter, but don’t forget about this hazard: freezing fog. Here’s how it forms and what makes it dangerous.
Other than ice, fog is the most challenging weather condition for driving. When you drive in the fog, it is extremely difficult to see. The poor visibility makes it tough for drivers to avoid any dangerous hazards on the roads, which leads to serious accidents.
Luckily, there are still a few things you can do to get home safe on a foggy night. Make sure to remember these helpful tips next time you drive in fog:
1. Reduce Your Speed
Since a heavy fog makes it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of your car, it only makes sense to reduce your speed on the roads drastically. Slowing down will give you extra time to react to avoid an accident. You will have virtually no chance of avoiding a hazard in the road if you are driving above the speed limit in the fog. It may take you a little longer to get to your destination, but your safety is much more important than a few minutes.
2. Never Stop On The Road
You may be very tempted to pull off to the side of the road if the fog gets too bad, but this is one of the worst things you can do. If the fog is making it nearly impossible to navigate the roads safely, then the other drivers are not going to see your car on the side of the road. This is just inviting an accident to happen. When driving in fog you should wait at a rest area or parking lot for the fog to clear if the fog has made it too difficult to drive.
Photo by Ivan Bogdanov
3. Do Not Use High Beams
Your first instinct may be to turn on the high beam lights in the fog, but this is only going to make it harder to see. The intense light of the high beams reflecting off of the moisture in the air intensifies the fog. The regular low beam lights on your car will not create this problem. If your vehicle is equipped with fog lights, then they will be the best choice.
4. Use Outside Line As Guide
Once visibility is decreased, it is very important to use something on the road to help guide the car. Road reflectors are a very valuable resource, but they are unfortunately not found on every street. If there are no roadside reflectors, then it is best to use the solid white line on the outside of the right lane as your guide. This line is much easier to see than the dotted line on the left. It will also keep you as far as possible from oncoming traffic.
Photo by Lukas Rychvalsky
5. Increase Following Distance
While tailgating the car in front of you is never a good idea, it is an even bigger problem when driving in the fog. You never know when the vehicle you are following will need to hit the brakes abruptly. The only way you will avoid a collision if this happens is by increasing your following distance. It is generally recommended to leave at least 10 seconds between you and the car in front when it is really foggy.
6. Use Your Defroster
Fog is formed when water vapor drops get suspended in the air. This occurs when there is a lot of humidity in the air on a chilly day. The trapped moisture causing the fog will also start to fog up your windows. Using the defroster in the car is the best way to prevent this from happening. You will also want to regularly use the windshield wipers to clean any moisture from the windows and improve your visibility.
Photo by llulila
7. Turn Off Cruise Control
Cruise control is a great tool when driving long distances on the highway, but it should never be used in the fog. You have better control of the car when you are actively pushing the gas pedal. When driving in fog you should keep full control of the vehicle is important in this dangerous driving condition because you never know when something will pop out of the fog.
8. Avoid Going Out If Possible
The dense fog that creates dangerous driving conditions rarely lasts for too long. This is why it is very important to check the local weather report before leaving the house. Plan your day around the forecast. If the fog is only going to be around early in the morning, then delay your plans if possible. If it is expected to be foggy late at night, then make sure to get home early.
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