How to be a Safe Driver When the Weather Turns Foggy
Care should be taken when driving in foggy weather. The potential for accidents is greater because no one can see with any clarity and some drivers may not change their driving habits for the inclement conditions.
When there is thick fog about, the best advice is to delay your journey until the weather improves, but if you have to travel what are the best tips and advice to help you make safe progress.
Having a vehicle that is in good working order will be invaluable to your journey. The windscreen should be clean and the lights must be functioning properly. This should include the fog lights on your car. If you have less than 100 metres visibility you will want to engage your fog lights. This not only enables you to see better, but other vehicles will be aware of your presence as well. The use of your regular lights will be of no benefit to you at this time. They actually reflect the fog and limit your visibility even more.
Because of the reduced visibility, drivers will often follow too closely to the tail lights of the car in front because it makes them feel safe, or they subconsciously drive too fast in the mistaken belief that it will mean that they will get out of the fog quicker. Both scenarios are a major cause of motorway pile ups in foggy conditions. Instead drive only at a speed that means you can stop safely in the distance that you can see clearly and use your speedometer to assess your speed because your normal visual clues will be obscured by fog.
The air temperature cooling lower than the dew point brings about the fog. You will find that many conditions affect the density of the fog. They can be made up of atmospheric circumstances or the terrain.
You must always be cognizant of the changing thickness of the fog. When the weather is cold you can expect to find fog early in the morning, particularly where the road lies in a valley or near a lower portion of the ground. Areas near water can also produce layers of fog.
Once you have achieved more than 100 metres of visibility you must turn off your fog lights. The law states that this is a requirement and it is also unpleasant for oncoming cars. Dont forget to turn off the fog lights on the back of your car as they can disguise your brake lights which can be a hazard.
While foggy weather does present more difficult driving conditions, practicing safe driving techniques can help you and others arrive safely at your destination.
When driving in heavy mist good visibility is crucial, and you can maximise this by installing Xenon Car Bulbs. By enhancing the beam produced by your headlights, for example by installing high performance H7 Bulbs, you will be able to see further into the fog and other drivers will also see you more clearly.
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