During the autumn and winter months in Britain, there’s the chance that the weather could be foggy when you want to drive in your car.
When that happens, certain precautions will need to be taken to stay safe. In this guide, we provide some top tips for staying safe while driving in foggy conditions.
Use your headlights and fog lights responsibly
The Highway Code states that you have to use your car’s headlights when visibility is reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You’re not obligated to use fog lights, but you and many other motorists will probably be tempted to use them if you have them and there’s really thick fog surrounding you.
If you do use the fog lights on your car while it is foggy, you must turn them off (both at the front and rear) once visibility improves to prevent dazzling other road users.
There shouldn’t be any problem with you using these sort of lights in foggy weather as long as you apply common sense to the situation. Some drivers may worry about dazzling other drivers, but if visibility seems bad enough to warrant them, then it’s better to play it safe and keep them on.
If you keep switching your fog lights on and off in reaction to what’s ahead then this could prove a distraction. Wait for a consistent and significant improvement in visibility instead.
Adapt your speed to the conditions
When you’re driving in foggy conditions, you’ll want to be driving slower than compared to if it were clear in order to stay safe.
How much slower, however, should you travel? The best thing to do is weigh up how much of the road ahead you can view, and maintain a speed which will let you stop within what you can see. The better understanding you have of your car’s stopping distance at different speeds, the easier this’ll be.
If there are other cars on the road nearby, then this is something else to factor in when judging your speed. When there’s a car travelling in front, try following a three-second rule. What that means, is that when the car in front passes an object near the road (like a tree) keep a distance that means you pass that same object three seconds after the car in front has.
Remain wary of what other drivers are doing
Some other drivers you come across while driving in fog may not be as cautious in their approach as you. Some drivers may not even consider switching on their headlights in low visibility, so remaining vigilant is key.
At junctions, it could be hard to judge if there are any cars coming either way, especially when the fog is particularly thick. If that’s the case, wind down your window while stopped at the junction so you can listen out for nearby traffic. When you’re sure it’s safe to do so, emerge from the junction and move quickly and without hesitation while you’re in the path of oncoming cars.
