Fog - SAFETY ABOVE ALL

Fog and Visibility

According to the National Weather Service (NWS):

• Fog Contributes to travel accidents

• Water particles remain suspended near surfaces rather than falling like drizzle, creating hazards for drivers

• Fog in mountain valleys is especially prevalent in autumn and spring; if the air has enough moisture, fog will form as night progresses.

• Fog is more common in basins, deep valleys and near bodies of water

• Light fog can quickly become dense

• In foggy conditions, low beam headlights (not high beam headlights) provide better visibility

Driving in fog

• Slow down; allow extra time to reach destination

• Use low-beams and fog lights, if applicable

• Never use high-beams, which cause glare

• Engage 4-way flashers when visibility is near-zero

• Increase following distance to account for sudden stops

• Stay in proper lane by following the lines on the road

• Consider the "three second rule" for maintaining distance in bad weather: You should be able to count to three before you pass what the vehicle in front of you passed.

• Match your speed to weather and road conditions and avoid passing vehicles when conditions are poor

• Front fog lights have a wide beam pattern to light up the road in front of a vehicle

• Rear fog lights make a vehicle more visible to drivers who are following a vehicle

Driving in dense fog

In extremely dense fog, the NWS recommends:

• Turn on hazards, pull into a safe location, such as a rest area or parking lot, and stop

• If there is no safe location, pull off to the side of the road as far as possible and:

  • Turn off all lights except hazards

  • Set emergency brake and remove foot from brake pedal to ensure taillights are NOT illuminated

• Dense fog advisories are issued when fog is widespread with visibility a quarter mile or less

• The NWS advises extra caution in these conditions