However, when you are driving in a dense fog, it makes sense to keep a greater distance from other vehicles. It is best to postpone driving until a fog clears. Follow these safe driving tips from Firestone Complete Auto Care for handling heavy traffic & conquering your commute like a gold medalist. If youre in a city known for its foggy conditions, such as San Francisco or New York, memorizing these tips is a great idea for your daily commute. When driving in fog you should keep certain points in mind to avoid road accidents. Driving in Fog Fog can descend very quickly. Remain calm and patient. #1 Use Low Beam Lights. Extreme temperatures have killed at least 112 in Mexico since March, Why killer whales wont stop ramming boats in Spain, This Day in Weather History: The DC derecho, Massive derecho plows from Iowa to Washington, DC, See a close encounter of 2 bright planets unfold on 1st night of July, Why this major city often looks like a 'ghost town'. You will need extra space to brake safely. Turn them towards the curb. This improves vehicle safety during heavy brake use or when braking with poor traction. Fog lights are also more useful for extremely slow speeds, which is not always feasible when you are driving on busy streets and highways. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. The brake pedal should feel firm and secure, not spongy, thats a sign of trouble. This may cause glare that can block your view of the road and harm other drivers vision even more severely. Consider the purpose of your trip to determine if it can be postponed for another time even if its just a few hours later. Just like yours, other vehicles driver visibility must be reduced. Here are six tips to help you drive safely in fog. This will also help you to avoid spray from the vehicle ahead that can make it even harder to see. Keep your windows and mirrors clean. Prepare for your written test with questions like this and more with free DMV practice tests from PuedoManejar.com. Fog is formed when water vapor drops get suspended in the air. It is a dense "cloud bank" that rests on the ground. Be patient. low-beam headlights. How to identify and manage situations where your visibility may be reduced, How weather conditions such as rain, flooded roads, snow and ice may affect your vehicle and your ability to control it, What to do if your vehicle skids or if you encounter heavy snow, whiteouts or black ice, How to recognize and share the road with snow removal vehicles. If you feel your visibility is compromised and it's not safe to continue, find a place you can safely pull in and park. By clicking subscribe you are adhering to our terms and conditions. Slow down when driving at night, especially on unlit roads and whenever weather conditions reduce your visibility. This article has been viewed 302,334 times. During the autumn/winter season when there is more chance of fog it is key to ensure your car is in the best running state to tackle the conditions before it, meaning it is highly advisable to check your lights are working before setting off: Make sure youre familiar with how to operate your front and rear fog lights before setting off, and dont confuse these with your vehicles full beam setting. When your visibility is less than 150 meters, stick to low beam headlights. All cars must be fitted with rear fog lights as its a legal requirement. Fog can be seen usually in areas with high humidity. RAC Insurance Ltd is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. % of people told us that this article helped them. Learn more Fog is one of the scariest things to drive in, especially if you're unfamiliar with it. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. You can use the following coupons on the items in your shopping cart, please use them on the place order page. true. You can save time in the store by pre-booking your repair service appointment online today. Fog lights are designed to limit the glare that comes from typical headlights and are safe to use in low visibility. To create this article, 19 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. I wish I had visited the article before. Cobb, James. Another element that can limit your visibility is the moisture accumulating on your windshield. Look for an opportunity to pull off the road into a safe parking area and wait for conditions to improve. If while driving in fog your car is involved in an accident and you weren't using your fog lights, it could invalidate your car insurance. Make sure you check the Met Office for the latest weather and our traffic info map for up-to-date information about the trunk road network. Use your defroster and wipers to maximize your vision. Hard braking and overly aggressive turning or accelerating can cause your vehicle to skid and possibly go out of control. Store SEE RELATED: The importance of healthy vision for road safety. With this, you will get time to realize if the other vehicle is just going slow with their fog lights or hitting their brake to stop. The one pointing in the opposite direction, with lines pointing horizontally straight through the wavy line is for your rear fog lights. Advertisement Davidsingh620 Davidsingh620 Yes its true that you should use your high beems Advertisement Advertisement Brainly User Brainly User When I drive in dense fog, my high beams are too wide. Being mindful of surrounding drivers will help you navigate foggy roads safely. Use your low-beam headlights within 150 metres of an oncoming vehicle or when following a vehicle within 60 metres. Wondering how long do headlights last? Besides fog, you should also follow the same tips when it comes to any bad weather conditions including heavy rain, sand storm, or snowfall. When parking on a hill, which way should I turn my wheels? 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. Get top notch performance for your wheels at great value with our wheel spacers & adapters, wheel hub assembly, & many more. Avoid this by maintaining a following distance of 5 seconds or more, as opposed to the recommended 3-second following distance in ideal conditions. false. When meeting oncoming vehicles with bright headlights at night, look up and beyond and slightly to the right of the oncoming lights. Reduce the distractions in your vehicle. Available on iPhone and Android. Although fog is a temporary weather phenomenon, it is one of the most dangerous to drive in because it disrupts your field of vision and distorts your depth perception of what you see from behind the wheel. Get the latest news, advice, reviews and offers to help keep your motoring costs down. Your chances of getting into an accident are much higher when you are unable to navigate properly, and it can seriously affect others on the road. You will have virtually no chance of avoiding a hazard in the road if you are driving above the speed limit in the fog. Fog heavily reduces visibility ahead of you, making it difficult to see potential hazards on the road. We may collect personal information from you such as identifying information (name, address, driver's license number), transactional information (products or services purchased and payment history), digital network activity (interactions with our website, IP address), geo-location data, audio recordings and other forms of personal information. Reduce your speed and maintain a larger distance between your vehicle and the car in front. Increase your following distance. Brake as hard as you can until a wheel begins to lock up, then release pressure on the pedal slightly to release the wheel. "The information given is important and helpful. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. RAC Motoring Services and RAC Financial Services Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of insurance mediation activities. Most skids result from driving too fast for road conditions. For California residents, click here to view the full version of the California Consumer Privacy Notice. This will enable you to listen for traffic and other important noises. Fog heavily reduces visibility ahead of you, making it difficult to see potential hazards on the road. However, if you must drive in the fog, you should do so slowly and use your windshield wipers and low beam headlights. Your first instinct may be to turn . Some may think turning on their high beams can make the road more visible, but this is not something you should do. Hopefully, these tips will be helpful for you when you are driving in fog. The best thing to do is to avoid driving in fog. All rights reserved. Bravo! The regular low beam lights on your car will not create this problem. It is important to look ahead, slow down and anticipate ice. So like all drivers in fog, you reach for the headlight switch. Reduced visibility can cause many unexpected accidents on the road, therefore always maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles. When there is too much fog, it reduces drivers visibility on the road. The more fog impacts visibility, the harder it is for drivers to see the road, signs, pedestrians, and other objects and vehicles. While other vehicle lights can sometimes be used as reference points, positioning your vehicle properly within the lines is a great way to ensure your safety. Make sure your windshield wipers are in good condition. Many drivers find it impossible or at least difficult to drive under bad weather conditions. If there is too much water or if you are going too fast, your tires may ride on top of the water, like water skis. The safest thing to do when the fog is heavy is to not drive at all. Accessed August 2021. It will help you to see other vehicles, trees, poles, or any road accident ahead before arriving upon it. Wondering if you need auto insurance coverage. 1 - Keep a low rate of speed. Is your teen bringing a car to college? Enjoy! If your car is fitted with automatic lights activated by low light levels, remember to check the lights are on, as they may not be automatically activated in foggy conditions. To do this, always keep your headlights on at all times. Watch your speed. Don't stop on the travelled portion of the road. If the fog is so bad that you cannot see, pull off the road and wait for the fog to clear. The Fresno Bee. Turn on your emergency flashers, in addition to keeping on your low-beam headlights. You may be going faster than you think. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information (CA residents only). Pull into a safe parking area if possible. Keep an eye out for busy roads, stress, traffic jams and other dangerous driving conditions. Slow down on rutted, snowy roads. READ MORE: The complete guide to road-ready vision. To see only parts that fit your vehicle, set it here and we'll do the rest. If visibility is decreasing rapidly, do not stop on the road. You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them . Although anti-lock braking systems help to prevent wheel lock, you should not expect the stopping distance for your vehicle to be shortened. If the fog becomes too dense, pull over to a safe area and stop driving until the fog lightens. 2023 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Always avoid high beams in fog. If the fog is too dense to continue, pull completely off the road and try to position your vehicle in a safe parking area. Avoid passing, changing lanes and crossing traffic. #28738 In such conditions, they can make your vision even worse. Please see our privacy policy for more details. ", https://driving-tests.org/beginner-drivers/what-to-do-when-driving-in-fog/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WyekTLxHhQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuK2Py4OaVs, http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/trucks/handbook/section3-4-4.shtml, https://www.osv.ltd.uk/tips-for-driving-in-fog-how-to-drive-safely-in-foggy-weather/, https://www.weather.gov/safety/fog-driving, https://www.drive-safely.net/driving-in-fog/. It will also keep you as far as possible from oncoming traffic. If you are caught driving in fog, follow these safe-driving tips: Rain makes road surfaces slippery, especially as the first drops fall. If you find yourself driving in fog, you should keep these 9 tips in mind while youre on the road.