How to Drive When Visibility is Less Than 100 Meters on the Highway?
2 Answers
When driving on the highway with visibility less than 100 meters, the speed should not exceed 40 kilometers per hour, and a distance of more than 50 meters should be maintained from the vehicle ahead. Here are the relevant guidelines regarding visibility: 1. If visibility is less than 50 meters, the speed should not exceed 20 kilometers per hour, and you should exit the highway via the nearest exit as soon as possible. 2. If visibility is less than 200 meters, the speed should not exceed 60 kilometers per hour, and a distance of more than 100 meters should be maintained from the vehicle ahead. Precautions for highway driving: 1. Entering the driving lane correctly: When entering the highway from an on-ramp, the vehicle must accelerate in the acceleration lane and turn on the left turn signal. Only when it does not affect the normal driving of vehicles in the main lane should it merge into the driving lane from the acceleration lane, and then turn off the signal. 2. Maintaining a safe distance: When driving at high speed, the following vehicle in the same lane must maintain a sufficient safe distance from the vehicle ahead. A rule of thumb is that the safe distance is approximately equal to the speed in meters. For example, at 100 km/h, the safe distance is 100 meters; at 70 km/h, it is 70 meters. In adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, or fog, the distance should be increased, and the speed should be appropriately reduced. 3. Overtaking cautiously: When overtaking, first observe the status of the vehicles ahead and behind, then turn on the left turn signal. After confirming it is safe, slowly turn the steering wheel to the left to smoothly enter the overtaking lane. After overtaking the vehicle, turn on the right turn signal. Once the overtaken vehicle is fully visible in the rearview mirror, smoothly steer back into the right driving lane and turn off the signal. Avoid sudden steering during overtaking. 4. Proper use of brakes: Emergency braking on the highway is very dangerous. As speed increases, the tire's grip on the road decreases, increasing the likelihood of braking deviation or skidding, making it difficult to control the vehicle's direction. Additionally, if the following vehicle cannot react in time, it may lead to a multi-vehicle collision.
Having driven for decades, when visibility drops below 100 meters, I immediately slow down to under 40 km/h, which is the safe upper limit stipulated by traffic regulations. Turn on the front and rear fog lights and low beams, but never use high beams as they reflect off the fog and reduce visibility further. Maintain a distance of at least 50 meters from other vehicles. Once, I encountered sudden fog and quickly turned on the hazard lights, driving slowly to avoid overtaking or changing lanes, as blurred vision can easily lead to accidents. If it's really not manageable, pull into the nearest service area to rest and wait for the fog to clear before continuing. I've made it a habit to check the car lights before setting off; if the fog lights are broken, they must be repaired promptly—prevention is far better than a cure. When driving on highways in foggy conditions, patience and caution are key to staying safe; don’t risk it just to save a few minutes.
