Every type of bad weather poses its own set of difficulties for drivers. Fog, especially dense fog or any amount of fog, is no exception. Don’t be alarmed if you see fog while driving. You can take many precautions to ensure that you get to your destination safely.
1. Always Keep Your Headlights On
When driving through fog, having illuminated headlights on the street is critical for both you and other drivers. No matter what time of day you’re driving, make sure your headlights are turned on. You’ll be able to see more clearly with headlights, and traffic behind you will be able to see your brake lights.
However, avoid utilizing your high-beam lights. It may appear that brighter lights are the answer to poor visibility, but this is not the case in fog. When driving in deep fog, using your high lights can cause glare. This would make seeing what’s ahead of you on the road more difficult. Instead, utilize your low beam headlights and, if your car has them, fog lights.
2. Maintain a Clear Windshield and Windows
Driving in fog is an excellent opportunity to use your windshield wipers and defrosters. Fog can cause a build-up of moisture on your windshield, reducing vision even more. To dry off the moisture, the defroster should be set to a warm-to-hot level. Wipers on your windshield can also assist in keeping the glass clear.
Staying off the road is the greatest way to avoid a fog-related accident. If you must drive through fog, remember to maintain a safe pace, be courteous to other drivers, and avoid using your high beams. Take your good driving habits and improve them a little, and you should be able to safely complete your route.
3. Maintain Distance
When compared to driving on dry pavement, stopping your vehicle on soft or loose snow can take up to three times the distance, while stopping your vehicle on icy winter roads can take up to 12 times the distance.
Keep a minimum of 3 seconds of gap between you and the vehicle ahead of you when calculating how much room to leave between your vehicle and the one ahead of you.
- Take a look at the car in front of you.
- Begin counting when the vehicle’s back passes a fixed object such as a sign, tree, or road marking (one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two, one-thousand-and-three).
- You’re following too closely if the front of your car touches the object before you’ve finished counting.
- Slow down your vehicle and count again. You’ll have to re-establish your three-second following distance if someone cuts in front of you.
- When driving on low-traction conditions, the three-second rule will need to be increased. The sole exception is for drivers of large commercial vehicles, who must maintain a minimum following distance of four seconds in traffic.
4. Stopping When in Traffic
When stopped in traffic, always try to find a way to move out of the way if possible.
- Allow at least one car gap between you and the vehicle in front of you that has stopped. This will keep you from slamming into it if the road surface is a little slicker than you expected. Roads are slick in the winter months everywhere there is braking or acceleration, such as at a junction or in places with curves.
- Allow enough room in case you become caught behind a stalled car or are rear-ended by another vehicle.
- When coming to a stop behind a huge vehicle on an incline, employ particular caution.
Fog Lights: Halogen Vs. LED
Halogen fog lights are standard on many automobiles, particularly older ones. LED driving fog lights are normally more expensive, but they also have a significantly longer lifespan. LED lights are also brighter, and their white light penetrates fog better than classic yellow lights. However, if they’re oriented too high, they might produce greater glare in fog than old-school halogens, so take caution.
We hope you get to drive on more wonderful, sunny, windows-down, wind-in-your-hair days than gloomy foggy days. However, we hope that reading this has assisted you in learning how to drive safely in strong fog (just in case). Keep a roadside emergency kit on hand as well.
