There are enough driving challenges even in good weather. Distracted drivers, drunk drivers, drivers suffering from sleep deprivation. Those are just a few. Driving becomes substantially more difficult however, when there is fog in the air. Fog creates dangerous driving conditions, substantially limiting visibility for drivers. Heavy fog has been the cause of a high number of accidents and fatalities. Heavy fog is defined as visibility below one quarter of a mile. A Dense Fog Advisory means that dense fog has reduced visibility to 1/4 mile or less within the advisory area.
The best advice is to not drive at all in fog. However, that might not be a practical solution for everyone. With that said, if you must drive in fog, there are a number of safety measures you should take. So what are those precautions?
Tips
Included below are suggested our safety tips:
· Drive with your lights on low beam. High beams will only be reflected back off the fog and actually impair visibility even more.
· Reduce your speed — and watch your speedometer. Fog creates a visual illusion of slow motion when you may actually be speeding.
· Listen for traffic you cannot see. Open your window a little, to hear better.
· Use wipers and defrosters as necessary for maximum visibility.
· Use the right edge of the road or painted road markings as a guide.
· Be patient. Do not pass lines of traffic.
· Do not stop on a freeway or heavily traveled road. If your car stalls or becomes disabled, turn your vehicle's lights off, and take your foot off of the brake pedal. People tend to follow tail lights when driving in fog. Move away from the vehicle to avoid injury.
Even more detailed instructions are available here.
Conclusion
It is clear that the best solution is not to drive at all in the fog. Driving with low visibility is incredibly dangerous and can be life-threatening. There is nothing scarier than not being able to see even a few feet in front of you. However, if you are left with no other option, it is imperative that you adhere to the precautions suggested above. Failing to do so will seriously jeopardize your safety.
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