Lost in the Fog

Driving in severe or deep fog is never recommended. Here is some advice if you are caught in heavy fog.

When combined with other severe weather conditions or when the fog is particularly deep, it can make driving conditions perilous. The best course of action is to stop and park your car until the fog lifts.

Driving in the fog:

Cut back on interruptions.
Put the stereo and your cell phone on silent. Place distractions like your phone in the glove compartment or another location where you won’t be tempted to reach for them while operating the vehicle.
Bring down your speed.
A low speed can help you react safely because you can’t see the road or other cars.
Your window should be down.
Roadside reflectors should be your guidance.
You can navigate turns and curves with the help of the markings.
Disable the cruise control.
Utilize the defroster and windshield wipers.
Use fog lights and low beams when driving.
Because they reflect off the fog, high beams and bright lights can reduce vision.
As a reference, follow the right border of the road.
Helps you avoid “drifting” towards the center lane and keeps you in your own lane.

To give yourself enough time to react to any difficulties, widen your following distance from other vehicles. A decent rule of thumb is to raise your count distance from the standard 2 seconds behind another car to at least 5 seconds.

Watch out for wildlife on the road.

Under the cover of fog, animals—especially deer—feel more brazen and are considerably more difficult to see. There is less time for both of you to notice them and for them to see you due to the reduced visibility in deep fog.

What to do if heavy fog forces you to stop at a safe location:

Make use of the turn signal.
Inform other drivers that you are pulling off the road because they may be using your taillights as a guide. Signal before you would ordinarily in good weather while you are driving through low visibility areas.
Pull off to the side of the road.
Drivers are less likely to see your car if they can’t see the shoulder.
Your hazard lights should be on.

When driving, avoid utilizing flashing lights. The usage of hazard lights while driving is prohibited in many states. Using the danger lights may prevent you from using your turn signals and may cause other vehicles to believe that you are stopped or stalled.