What causes fog, and how to stay safe driving through it
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What causes fog, how dangerous is it and how can you navigate it on the roadways to be safe?
Fog is a challenging weather condition for motorists, matched only by ice. Fog leads to poor visibility, increases the chance for accidents and potential injuries.
There are a few things you can do to make your journey through a foggy night a bit safer and less stressful:
High beams and defrosters
When visibility reduces, turning on the high beams may seem like a good idea. But in reality it will make it even harder to see. High beams emit an intense light that reflects off of the moisture in the air, while regular headlights don’t do that. Some vehicles are equipped with fog lights, which is the best option if available.
Fog is formed when water vapor drops get suspended in the air and there is high humidity on a chilly day. It can cause the fog to build up on your windows and further reduce visibility. Using your windshield wipers can also help.
Speed and following distance
Reducing your speed and the space between you and vehicles in front of you reduces your risk, since fog makes it harder to see what is in front of you and helps give you extra time to react. Slowing down will give you extra time to react to avoid an accident.
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(Photo credit: Getty Images)
Using lane markings to guide you
Road reflectors in the center and outside lane lines can help guide you. If the road lacks lane reflectors you can use the solid white line, which is easier to identify and help keep you from straying over the center line into oncoming traffic.
Pulling over
Stopping on the side of the road might be tempting, but it’s actually a terrible idea. Other drivers may not be able to see you, increasing the odds of a car accident or injuries to yourself and others. Stopping in a parking lot or until the fog clears is safer.
Dangers of Super Fog
Super fog is a hazardous weather condition from the combination of wildfire smoke and dense fog and can drastically reduce your ability to see when driving.
In the fall of 2024, super fog was blamed for a deadly accident in Louisiana when one person was killed in a crash along I-10 in New Orleans East when super fog created near-zero visibility.
In 2023, super fog made of smoke from marsh fires and dense fog caused crashes that killed at least seven people and injured 30 on I-55 in Louisiana.
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