Fog can be one of the most dangerous weather conditions for both new and experienced drivers, according to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. Fog has the potential to reduce visibility significantly, so it is critical that drivers stay focused on the road in order to stay safe. Severe weather demands undivided attention.
Keep in mind that sometimes the best driving decision you can make is to stay off the road completely until the weather clears.
The sheriff’s office offers the following safety tips for driving in fog:
- Slow down. Be sure to slow down so you have more time to react if traffic stops or other hazards appear. Never drive faster than you can safely stop based on how far you can see. When visibility is severely limited, find a safe place to park, away from travel lanes, and wait for conditions to improve. Some people actually drive faster in fog due to the fog interfering with the driver’s sense of speed.
- Always headlights, never brights. Avoid using high-beam headlights in fog as fog consists of tiny water droplets that spread and reflect light. While your high beams are not useful in the fog, remember to turn on your low-beam headlights to help other drivers see you.
- Stay focused on the road. Driving in fog is not a time for multi-tasking. Turn down the radio, stop conversations with other passengers and keep your attention on the road. Roll down your window to help you hear other traffic on the road.
- Do not stop on the road. When you cannot see where you are going, a natural reaction is to slow down or even stop. In fog, never stop on the road. Find a safe place to pull over that is as far away from traffic as possible and turn off your lights. Leaving your lights on may cause motorists to think that your tail lights indicate the lane of travel, which could cause a collision.
