In many places around the world, especially near coastal or humid areas, fog may form and become a dangerous hazard for drivers. Fogs are clouds that appear at the ground-level, creating an environment that is challenging to see in. Fog occurs when water vapor condenses and that condensation combines to create water droplets that hang in the air.
Because of this, even experienced drivers may have trouble driving safely in the fog, as it is difficult to drive in conditions where you can not see around yourself. With such limited visibility around, car accidents are prone to happen. According to the Federal Highway Administration, 38,700 vehicles crash each year due to fog with over 600 people killed and 16,300 injured annually.
Avoiding Accidents Driving in the Fog
Although fog is a common occurrence around the world, it is still a situation people do not drive in everyday. Not everyone is accustomed to driving with such limited visibility. To decrease the annual amount of crashes that occur, learning how to drive in low visibility conditions is important. Here are five tips to driving safely in dense fog:
1. Use Your Headlights
When driving in the fog, it is extremely important to have your headlights on so other drivers can see where you’re at. However, you should not turn on your high-beam lights because it could reflect off the fog and cause glare, making it harder for you and possibly other people to see. If you have fog lights, utilize them, as it will only help more in seeing in dense fog. If you do not have fog lights, use your low-beam headlights instead.
2. Drive Slower and Maintain a Safe Distance
Although it may be common sense to keep a safe distance from other cars when driving, it is especially important to make sure to keep your distance during fog and other situations of low visibility. Whenever there is low visibility, you typically want to maintain a longer safe distance, because you never know how the weather could create situations in which you must brake quickly. As such, keep in mind to drive slower than you usually do when driving in the fog, so you may be able to react quicker to dangerous situations.
3. Stay Focused and Alert
When driving in fog, stay focused on the road and do not get distracted. You will never know when a car will suddenly stop in front or if a sudden turn happens, because it is hard to see your surroundings. Being distracted by things like your phone could make it harder for you to react if you’re not paying attention. This is also important as there are also many cars who tend to drive as if there are no dangerous conditions and may suddenly speed through.
4. Use Your Windshield Wipers and Defrosters
Because fog is created by water and are essentially clouds on the floor, it causes the surrounding area to be wet and cold, which can make your car frost up. In cases like this, you should use your windshield wipers or defrosters to clear up your windshields. You are already worried about low visibility from the fog, you do not want to have another factor for low visibility.
5. Stop and Pull Over if Needed
Since it is hard to drive in low visibility conditions, there may be times when you need to pull over and wait. It is okay to wait for the fog to pass over if driving in these conditions gets too difficult. Situations that cause you to react immediately in cars can be dangerous. It is better to be safe than to anxiously drive in the fog and potentially be in a car accident. A car accident can negatively affect you in the long-term and you would not want to risk that.
Remember to Be Safe Driving in the Fog
Overall, driving in foggy conditions can be extremely dangerous if you are not cautious when driving. Always remember to utilize the features on your car such as your headlights, defroster, and windshield wipers to keep your car at its best condition to deal with the environment. Drive safely and defensively and if you have to, wait out the fog.
By following these tips, you can be sure to avoid a car accident and get to your destination safely. Lastly, in the event that you do end up in a car accident or get injured, be sure to get medical attention and contact a lawyer to help out in dealing with legal and insurance-related problems.