What to Do When Encountering Heavy Fog on the Highway?
3 Answers
When encountering heavy fog on the highway, follow these steps: 1. Strictly control your speed: Due to low visibility in foggy conditions, your driving speed should be maintained between 40~60 km/h, and should not exceed 80 km/h at most. When visibility is extremely poor, it is advisable to pull over to a safe area or parking lot and wait until the fog dissipates or visibility improves before continuing. 2. Use lights correctly: Before driving in fog, thoroughly check all your vehicle's lighting systems, including fog lights, tail lights, width indicators, and low beams, to maximize visibility and clearly see other vehicles and pedestrians. It's important to note that you should not use high beams in foggy conditions, as the upward angle of high beams causes light to scatter in the fog, creating a blinding white effect that reduces visibility. 3. Clear your view: In heavy fog, condensation on the windshield can impair the driver's vision and make oncoming headlights appear excessively bright. Therefore, frequently use your wipers to remove condensation and improve visibility. 4. Use your horn frequently: With poor visibility in fog, honking your horn can warn pedestrians and other vehicles. When you hear another car's horn, respond immediately by honking to indicate your position. 5. Avoid overtaking in fog: If you see a vehicle ahead pulled over to the right, do not blindly go around it; consider whether it might be yielding to oncoming traffic.
When encountering heavy fog on the highway, the first thing I do is immediately slow down and maintain a safe distance of at least 100 meters, otherwise braking might be too late. I turn on the fog lights, low beams, and hazard warning lights on the car, but never use high beams, as the light reflection would make it even harder to see the road. I remember one time driving in heavy fog when I was in too much of a hurry and almost rear-ended another car. Since then, I’ve made it a habit to listen to the car radio or check road conditions via an app to stay updated on fog changes in real time. If the fog is too thick, I’ll find the nearest service area or exit to stop and wait for it to clear, never pushing through, as blurred vision can easily lead to accidents. Before setting off, I always check the weather forecast to avoid foggy seasons—these details have been a big help.
As someone who often travels with family, I immediately slow down to below 60 km/h when entering a foggy area, turning on all lights, especially the fog lights, to ensure my child is securely buckled in the back seat without moving around. I maintain about double the usual following distance and avoid changing lanes when visibility is poor. I also check my phone's navigation for any road closure updates. Experience has taught me to stay calm and focused in heavy fog, reminding myself to concentrate on driving and wait for the fog to lift before proceeding. Before setting off, I make it a habit to check tire pressure and windshield wipers to ensure the vehicle is in good condition. If I must stop, I pull over and turn on the hazard lights to warn other drivers.
