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Thursday, December 17, 2009

How to be a Safe Driver When the Weather Turns Foggy

By Ethan Melandri

Foggy weather can be difficult with your view obstructed, which means incidents involving your car and others are heightened. It is most troublesome when other drivers are not driving for the conditions that exist.

Fog can be quite thick, thus you might elect to wait until the mist lifts before going on with your drive. However, if you must travel there are some hints and suggestions that can be offered to ensure a safe journey.

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.

Typical times and places to expect fog are normally on cold winter mornings in low lying ground, valleys or significant dips. Because the fog can change thickness and in turn reduce visibility very quickly, you will constantly need to reassess the conditions and tailor your driving accordingly.

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.

Driving in fog can be highly rough, yet you are capable of remaining safe while driving. You will need to drive in a style that meets the conditions you experience and afford space to others on the road. - 21392

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