Driving in fog can be quite hazardous, especially if you don’t follow any important road safety tips to prevent any unfortunate incidents.
As the temperatures across the country have begun to drop, a thick layer of fog has blanketed several major cities, including Lahore. Although the Met Department said it would soon be lifted by a westerly wave, the fact remains that fog, which is caused by cool air and humidity, can reduce visibility on the roads to near zero and cause accidents. Also, it is a common occurrence during the winter months.
Therefore, no matter how much of a seasoned driver you believe yourself to be, it’s crucial to stay focused on the road and give it your undivided attention – because driving in fog is akin to driving with a blindfold on. If it is not possible for you to stay off the road while it’s foggy outside, you must make sure to read through these safety measures for driving in fog, as they will help keep you and others safe.
Road Safety Tips for Driving in Fog
Here are some of the top road safety tips that one should follow while driving in fog.
- Use your headlights carefully
- Slow down
- Keep your distance
- Focus on the sounds
- Use your windshield wipers
- Turn on the heater
- Check your mirrors frequently
Let’s discuss each of these tips for driving in foggy weather.
Use your headlights carefully
One of the most important things to know when driving in fog is that you should never turn off your headlights. According to experts, you should ideally use the low or dipped beam in such situations, as it casts light on the ground and does not impact your visibility.
The reason behind this is simple. If the fog is quite thick, then your headlights are most probably the only thing oncoming drivers will be able to see from a distance. However, make sure to not use full beam while driving in fog. Since fog reflects the light back to you, using high or full beam, as tempting as it may be, will reduce your visibility even further and make things worse for you as well as the other cars.
If your car has fog light, you can turn them on.
Slow down your car
Whether you are driving in fog at night or during the daytime, do not increase your speed – even if you cannot see another car on the road. It is extremely important to reduce your speed and turn on your headlights on low beam setting once the fog begins to set in. Keep glancing at your speedometer to ensure your speed is constant. This will not only lower the chances of a head-on collision with an oncoming car (because if you can’t see them, they can’t see you either) but also help you come to an easy stop if the car in front of you suddenly hits its breaks.
One of the most critical driving tips to follow in fog is to never hit the break all of a sudden, as this can result in another car rear-ending you, making the whole thing significantly worse. Also, be prepared for parked cars. These vehicles would rarely have their lights on, making them almost impossible to locate in thick fog.
Keep your distance from other vehicles
This is one of the most basic safety measures for driving in the fog that everyone must be aware of.
If you have ever driven in the fog before, you would know that most people tend to rely on the taillights of the car in front of them because there’s no other way to navigate in such situations. The problem with this approach is that you never know when that car would stop. What happens if they suddenly hit their break while you are following them at a close distance? Or, since fog can make roads slick and slippery, what happens if the other car ends up sliding across the road and you are too close behind to save yourself?
The best way to avoid a collision in such cases is by maintaining a safe distance. Instead of focusing solely on the tail lights of another car, pay attention to your surroundings as well and always be ready to stop at a moment’s notice.
Focus on the sounds
Since fog reduces your visibility, you must rely on other senses to ensure your safety.
As mentioned above, instead of paying too much attention to the car in front of you for guidance, turn off your radio and lower down your window to be able to hear the sounds on the road. Since you can’t see what’s ahead, try to hear the sounds of other cars driving close by or the sirens of a highway patrol car, which are often turned on to guide drivers on highways. This will help give you an idea of how crowded the road is and how close other vehicles are.
If there are any passengers in your car, ask them to quiet down and focus on the sounds outside as well.
Use your windshield wipers
Wondering how to deal with fog on the windshield? The easiest solution is to turn on your wipers. Moisture from the fog can create a glare on your windshield, further impairing your vision and making it much harder to see what’s ahead. Turning on your windshield wipers would not clear up your view all of a sudden, but a clear windshield would make a ton of difference.
Also, depending on the weather conditions, you might want to keep them on until you reach your destination.
Turn on the defroster
People usually suggest turning on the heater when it gets foggy outside. This has nothing to with keeping yourself warm.
The fog outside can cause condensation inside your car. Most of the times, since you can’t really see outside your windows anyways, drivers don’t notice their windows getting foggy until the condensation becomes too thick and your vision is completely impaired.
One of the simplest ways to deal with this problem while driving in fog is to turn up your heater or defroster. If your vehicle has a window demisting button or dial, make sure to use it in such situations.
Check your mirrors frequently
This goes without saying, but you should check your mirrors quite frequently while driving in fog safely. This road safety measure can be a little difficult to follow when you are engulfed in a thick blanket of fog, but keep glancing at your side mirrors to make sure there aren’t any other cars at a close distance.
Since driving at a slow speed is advised during such weather conditions, you should always be ready for other, unseasoned drivers to overtake your car despite the low visibility. Checking your mirrors will ensure you aren’t caught by surprise. If a car gets too close to yours, immediately hit the horn to avoid a collision.
In conclusion, even if you have been driving for ages and consider yourself an expert, do not overestimate your skills while driving in fog, as it can be dangerous for you and others on the road as well. If you have any queries or suggestions pertaining to the tips above, get in touch with us on blog@zameen.com.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to take a look at our road safety measures for driving in rain. Moreover, since road accidents are far too common and quite unpredictable, you should check out our detailed guide on how to get your car insured in Pakistan.
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