Driving in Foggy Conditions

The signs of fall are all around us. The leaves are turning colour, birds are flying south, and hockey season is finally here. The arrival of fall also means a change in driving conditions. Gone are the bright sunny days of summer, replaced with the darker autumn commutes often with inclement rainy or foggy weather. With that in mind, I wanted to share some advice from the Ontario Ministry of Transport specifically for driving- during foggy conditions.

DO:

• Make sure the full lighting of your car is turned on, not just the daytime driving lights.
• Use pavement markings to help guide you. Use the right edge of the road as a guide rather than the center line
• Use your low beam headlights. High beams reflect off the moisture droplets in the fog making it harder to see.
  If you have fog lights on your vehicle, use them, in addition to your low beams. They could save your life.
• Increase your following distance. You’ll need extra distance to break safely.
• Reduce distractions in your vehicle, like turning off your cell phone…your full attention is required.
• Keep your windows and mirrors clean. Use your defroster and wipers to maximize your vision.
• If the fog is too dense to continue, pull completely off the road and try to position your vehicle in a protected area from other traffic.  Turn on your emergency flashers.

 Don’t:

• Don’t stop on the travelled portion of the road. You could become the first link in a chain- reaction collision.
• Don’t speed up suddenly, even if the fog seems to be clearing. You could find yourself suddenly back in fog.
• Don’t speed up to pass a vehicle moving slowly or to get away from a vehicle that is following too closely.

Above all, the Ontario Ministry of Transport suggests that motorists check the weather forecasts and road conditions in their area before leaving home. If weather warnings have been issued, it’s best to delay your trip if possible.