Road trip reminders: Top tips to drive safe in dense fog
It is that time of the year again when the bags are packed, the car is fuelled to the max and the favourite holiday destination beckons. But if you are anywhere in the northern part of the country, the cosy winter morning drive can be far riskier than you thought. Blame it on the fog.
Dense fog has once again engulfed many parts of northern India - from Delhi, Haryana and Punjab to even the foothills of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Visibility in the national capital region (NCR) dropped to around 200 meters on Tuesday morning and was even lower on highway stretches leading out from here in all directions.
So while the idea of heading out in your trusty and comfortable car to that dream destination may seem appealing, there is a very serious need to take note of safe driving etiquette in dense fog.
Here are five key tips to driving in fog:
Regardless of visibility, lane discipline is absolutely essential - both within city limits as well as beyond. This becomes significantly more important in foggy conditions. It may seem obvious but many are guilty of trying to make overtaking moves even when visibility is dangerously low. Instead, try to drive in the middle lane as much as possible, and where there is a three-lane road. In case of a single or two-lane road, try to stick to the right side as parked vehicles may be stationary on the left side.
Be mindful of the road markers as these are your best friend in foggy conditions, especially if road reflectors are missing. Try to keep your vehicle within the two markers on the road.
Hazard lights are almost always turned on when visibility drops. But this isn't advisable every single time. This is mostly because head lights and tail lights are usually good enough to ensure your vehicle is visible. Parked vehicles with hazard lights on can also be mistaken for vehicles on the move and therefore, use these lights - also called parking lights - only if the visibility is extremely low.
A very common misconception is that foggy conditions require head lights to be flicked to high. Try it and you'll know it just doesn't help. High beam is designed to throw light at a greater distance which helps with visibility under normal conditions.
Fog-impaired driving vision is obviously not an ideal condition and since one is anyway going slow, what is immediately ahead is absolutely vital. So turn that light to low.
It is a great idea to follow a vehicle that is in front during foggy conditions. But too slow and that vehicle may fade away into the fog. Too fast and close may shorten reaction time in case the vehicle ahead has to take evasive action. A generally accepted practice is to maintain a five second gap from the car ahead. This is roughly a gap of about 50 meters.
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The best advice of course is to park your vehicle safely and wait for the fog to dissipate. Driving in the fog requires enormous amount of concentration on the driver's part and increases driving fatigue significantly. As such, it is best to find a safe place away from any traffic movement and wait it out. Don't forget to turn on your car's hazard light this time around.
