Top 5 lifesaving tips on how to drive in foggy weather

Dense fog and cold wave have been disrupting driving vehicles across North India. This is nothing new for the drivers who drive their vehicles in the region. Every year, during the winter, the foggy weather disrupts the driving activities in these regions, reducing the visibility significantly. Such conditions often results in fatal accidents as well, leading to deaths and critical injuries.

This year as well, the dense fog is interrupting driving activities. If you too need to drive in the region or anywhere across India this winter, where low visibility due to fog is an issue, here are the top five lifesaving tips for navigating foggy weather.

Use low beams and fog lights only

Never ever drive using high beams in foggy weather. High beams reflect off the moisture in the fog, creating a blinding glare that further reduces visibility, raising the risk of accident. On the other hand, low beams and dedicated fog lights are designed to aim light downward, eventually illuminating the road surface directly ahead of the vehicle without reflecting back into your eyes. Also, remember the yellow lights work better in enhancing visibility in the foggy weather conditions, while the bright white lights, which are popular now, creates more glare for the drivers, eventually reducing visibility.

Use horn and turn indicators judiciously

The horn and turn indicators are there for a reason. They alert other fellow drivers and road users through audio and visual alerts. Use the horn judiciously when on the road to alert other drivers or pedestrians. While taking turns, make sure to use the turn indicators to alert other drivers and road users about your move. Also, don't use hazard lights while moving, as this can confuse other drivers about your vehicle's status and disable your turn signals when you need them most.

Drive easy

When driving in foggy weather, make sure to drive at reduced speed. In low visibility, obstacles like stalled vehicles or pedestrians can pose threat to the driver. It is suggested to keep your speed about 30 kmph when driving in heavy fog. While driving at high speed, the reaction time in case of an obstacle or challenging situation gets reduced significantly. Also, increase your following distance from the vehicle in front of you to at least five seconds to ensure you get ample time for emergency braking, if needed.

Use road marking as guide

It is a common practice to look at the centre of the road or tailing another vehicle's lights when driving. However, the best practice when driving in foggy weather is to focus on the solid white line on the right edge of the road. Following this road marking as your guide will help you to stay in your lane and avoid drifting into the oncoming traffic on narrow roads. Also, if the visibility drops to near zero, try to find a safe location like a parking lot or a designated rest area to park the vehicle. Also, when parked, turn on your vehicle's hazard lights.

Let your ears to be your eyes

The foggy weather impacts the visibility significantly, but not hearing abilities. Hence, use your ears as your eyes and listen to the traffic. Roll down the windows slightly and turn off the music system or radio. In dense fog, listening to the traffic can help you detect approaching vehicle, sirens or horns long before the other vehicles become visible. This provides a crucial secondary layer of awareness to the driver.