Tips For Something You Might Be A Little Foggy On

Driving in fog is regarded as the most dangerous weather hazard, especially if it is really dense fog or combined with other adverse weather conditions. Foggy conditions are the biggest reason behind big multi-car pile ups. Nevertheless, there are certain things you can do to reduce your chance of a crash. These tips, given by Kurt's CARSTAR Collision Center, will help you to be safer on foggy Maryville, Illinois streets.

Stay Slow

During heavy fog, a very terrifying thing happens to people as they're driving. They unintentionally accelerate! Of course, we are all aware that speeding up in fog is the worst thing to do, but fog creates an optical illusion. While you look out your car window, your body perceives that you're driving really slowly. Since the majority of individuals become anxious in fog, they don’t look down at their speedometer. Eventually, they start going faster and faster. This is absolutely the most dangerous aspect of traveling in fog. Make a mindful effort to look at your speedometer every now and then. There’s a good chance you keep speeding up, without realizing it!

Keep The Headlights On

Always keep your headlights on when driving in foggy conditions in order to avoid a nasty auto body repair bill. Your daytime running lights aren’t adequate. Some people turn their lights off as they feel their headlights are blinding them from reflecting off the fog, but you essentially become a “ghost car” when this occurs. Your headlights aren’t so you can see better, it is so other people can see you! If your car is equipped with fog lights, utilize those too. When driving in fog, it’s extremely important to stay visible to others.

Forget The High Beams

Don't ever utilize your high beam headlights in foggy conditions. Your high beam headlights reflect off of the water vapor and in fact lower your visibility. You may feel that your low beam headlights are going to do the exact same thing, but again, keep them on. It’s the most effective way for you to be noticed.

Follow The Lines

When driving in fog in the St. Louis area, it is a good idea to follow the lines on the road with your eyes. This is the best way to make sure you stay in your lane. Motorists are normally attracted to lights, and subconsciously, will drive in the direction of lights. So it is better to watch the lines to ensure you're driving within your lane. Just make sure you aren’t fixating. You want to keep eyes moving.

Increase Your Following Distance

A safe following distance is crucial in fog. Many drivers tend to “bunch up” during foggy conditions since they feel it is easier to see. Traveling in fog is scary, but now isn't the time to follow too close. That’s one of several big reasons sizeable pile-up’s come about.

When You Stop

On occasion, foggy conditions become too thick to drive safely. If you’re going above your comfort zone, it could be best to stop until the fog lifts. Just don't forget – this is definitely a dangerous situation! If you cannot see, neither can anyone else. Try to get as far off of the road as possible. Pull into a driveway, parking lot, rest area, side street, or some other place where you can escape heavy traffic flow. But if the roadway shoulder is your only option, pull way over. Go into the grass if needed. If there’s a curb, drive on it and park on the opposite side of the curb. Stay buckled up and turn your lights off! If you leave your lights on, people may believe you are driving on the roadway and rear-end you. Ensure that your foot is off the brake pedal, and don't use your flashers. Keep all your lights off. If there is shelter nearby, try to get there quickly. If not, stay in your car or truck and remain buckled up.

Dense fog normally does not last a very long time. The fog may not completely go away, but stopping for a while should buy you some time and permit the fog to lift a bit. Dense fog tends to migrate from area to area, unless you’re in a valley where fog has a tendency to settle. If the fog just worsens while you are parked, stay put. It’s not worth risking your life to go on. But never forget, when traveling in fog, stopping on the shoulder of the road should be a last option!

Dense Fog Is Generally Temporary

Under most “normal” weather conditions, dense fog is short-lived. Most frequently, you will encounter little patches of dense fog on mountain valleys, peaks, near moist open fields, and in the vicinity of bodies of water such as streams, rivers, and lakes. Whenever the atmosphere is particularly humid, you may even get patches of fog that seem to roam from one place to another. In the worst conditions, generally occurring at night or in early morning hours, the fog can be quite dense and cover a span of many miles. This is the most dangerous condition and is often cautioned by fog advisories or warnings from the National Weather Service. Whenever fog warnings or advisories are issued, simply do not drive (this is particularly true in fog warnings). It does not matter how good you and the other motorists on the roadway are, if you can’t see, you can’t possibly drive safely.

If you do end up having any sort of accident in foggy conditions, consider taking your motor vehicle to Kurt's CARSTAR Collision Center. They serve people all around Maryville, Collinsville, Troy, Glen Carbon, and Highland, Illinois with high quality auto body repairs.