As the winter months close in, keeping you and your family safe during those foggy days is a must. Fog impairs your sight heavily when driving and the following 10 tips will help prepare you to ensure that you get from point A to point B with ease.
Prepare
Before driving, make sure that you have demisted your windscreens, front and back, and that your mirrors are clean. Condensation and mist can make the already tough task of driving with fog even more risky. Over time, headlights tend to turn yellow, so checking the clarity of those is often needed. You can clean them easily using toothpaste and warm water.
New car
If you’ve recently bought a new car at a dealership or won one in a competition such as Dream Car Giveaways, it may not be obvious as to where your fog lights and the switches are located, take some time to confirm with your car manual to find out where they are located, how to turn them on and off, and what they’re called. Some cars have “all-weather-lights” or something similar, so familiarity is key.
Keep your distance
Leave a three second gap between other drivers and yourself, instead of depending upon the usual two second gap. It gives you more time to react if needed to prevent any unnecessary accidents. Listen for traffic – Turning down your radio and even rolling down your window to better hear other drivers on the road can help immensely, as well as helping with your concentration while driving.
Use your fog lights
Don’t rely on your automatic lights, no matter how much trust you might have in them. They dont always come on in fog, and daytime lights only light up the front of your car, not the back. The AA website has a great guide for using your fog lights to the fullest potential.
Listen for traffic
Turning down your radio and even rolling down your window to better hear other drivers on the road can help immensely, as well as helping with your concentration while driving.
Delay your journey
As in other severe weather conditions, driving if only essential is the best way forward. If working from home or rearranging appointments and visits is possible, you may want to consider that instead of driving. Trying to organise something fun at home for yourself and your family is a great way to pass the time when you’re waiting for a foggy spell to pass.
Check your mirrors
If you can’t see a driver, the chances are that they’re having a hard time seeing you too. Using your brake lights and utilising the ability to warn people of your speed change and the path you’re taking if you’re stopping to turn can be a huge benefit.
Weather reports
Fog, despite being more prevalent at around this time, isn’t just limited to being specifically a “winter problem”. Fog can drift over the UK at any time in the year, so make sure you check the weather reports in your area before setting off.
Drive slow
Reaction times and visibility are compromised during a foggy spell, so take care to gently reduce speeds to a sensible level, making sure that whoever else is driving behind you has enough time to react safely as well.
Keep warm
Fog will often cause condensation inside of a car, further limiting visibility and causing the roads to become more hazardous. Pull over to the side of the road wherever safe if you have no visibility. Turn on your emergency flashers until your vision clears and continue your journey whenever you are able to safely do so.
