Driving On a Foggy Carriageway Is Dangerous

SE Lithuanian Road Administration (later – the Road Administration) warns that oncoming autumn and rapidly  changing weather conditions bring about fog in the morning and at night. When the fog falls on the roads, traffic conditions may become extremely dangerous.

Dense fog blankets impair visibility, which increases drivers’ reaction time. When driving too fast under foggy conditions, it might be difficult to react and to take proper actions in case of an obstacle. Sometimes drivers are too self-confident. They do not estimate possible dangers and fail to choose a safe, reasonable  speed. In the fog the permitted speed limit might be too high.

When entering a foggy road section, drivers should propery evaluate the changing driving conditions, reduce speed, take necessary precautions to ensure their own and other road users’ safety and turn on fog lights. To increase visibility, high-beam headlights should be avoided as it blinds other drivers and the fog itself becomes hardly transparent. When the weather conditions change and fog clears up, fog lights shall be turned off.

In dense fog any speed might be dangerous. The driver shall stick to a safe, reasonable speed limit which enables to react properly and, if needed, to control the vehicle. It should be noted that fog can conceal an animal, a pedestrian or a bicyclist. If it is not clear what speed to choose, drivers should pull off to the side of the road and turn on hazard warning lights. They should not continue driving until the fog lifts and visibility improves.

It should be pointed out that fog might be dangerous not only at night but at the sunrise too. In most cases it is difficult to foresee extremely foggy road sections. Another important factor is that drivers are still drowsy in the morning. Therefore, they underestimate traffic conditions, which slows their reaction time. It should be noted that the road pavement in foggy weather is more slippery as well.

A few driving tips in fog:

• estimate traffic conditions;
• estimate road pavement condition;
• reduce speed;
• turn on fog lights;
• turn on hazard warning lights when driving on extremely foggy sections;
• at critical visibility, pull over as close to the roadside as possible and turn on a hazard warning flasher.