ALT-1 How to Drive Safely in the Fog
Car driving in its self is relatively safe as long as you take relevant precautions and be aware of the environment you are driving in. You have to assess the situation and alter your driving accordingly, you have to be aware of constant hazards and also of potential sudden ones. Sudden could be a child walking out ion front of you when a school finishes for the day, a constant would be an ongoing weather problem such as fog. This is the time when many of your habits and driving style should change, possibly drastically. Here are some things that you should bear in mind when planning to drive in fog or for when fog occurs when already driving.
1/ An obvious thing often gets forgotten, slow down. Don't slam your brakes on and revert to a crawl on a busy road as that could cause more problems but slow enough to be able to react to those in front of you. You need to be able to see far enough to see when the car in front will stop if needed, this often means seeing beyond this car though this may be not possible.
2.As well as being able to see the car in front do not rely on them as something to follow to see where the road goes. The car in front could be driving into a tree for all you know, more likely is they are changing lanes or turning off the road you are on. Use road markings, over head lights, fences and any other markings to see where you are.
3/ Don't strain your eyes or get over tired dealing with the fog as you drive. The extra effort taken could slow responses and make you likely to have an accident for another reason. Take even more breaks then you normally would and even consider delaying the trip till the weather improves. A delay could be a life or accident prevention, always something to factor into travel plans.
4/Make sure your lights lenses and your windscreen is clean and is cleaned regularly. The lights help you see and help others see you better. Your windscreen lets you see out in to a murky world, so don't make view worse through dirty glass. All possible work is very wise to make things as safe as you can for your trip, also safe for other road users besides your self.
