Low visibility driving tips: How to drive safely in heavy fog

Foggy winter conditions reduce visibility, increasing collision risks on roads. To drive safely, slow down, maintain distance and avoid overtaking.

Every winter, foggy conditions drastically cut down how far you can see on the road, turning even familiar routes into potential hazards. Low visibility makes it harder to spot obstacles and other vehicles in time, which significantly increases the risk of collisions and pileups on highways and urban roads alike. In fact, you must have heard of several such accidents that happened yesterday in Delhi. So, when you must drive in such weather, adopting cautious habits and following proven safety measures can make all the difference in reaching your destination without incident. To help you in navigating the weather safely, we have compiled a list of safety tips for your consideration.

More than 15 vehicles collided on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway due to dense fog near Raniyala village (HT)

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Drive slow and maintain distance

When driving in fog, the most sensible thing to do is slow down. Reduced visibility makes it difficult to judge distance and spot hazards in time, so driving at a lower speed gives you more control and a better chance to react. It is equally important to maintain a larger gap from the vehicle ahead, as the extra space can be crucial if you need to brake suddenly or respond to an unexpected situation.

Avoid overtaking

Fog severely affects depth perception, making it hard to accurately judge distances and turning overtaking into a risky move. In such conditions, patience is crucial. It is best to avoid overtaking altogether and stay behind the vehicle ahead while keeping a safe following distance until visibility improves. If overtaking becomes unavoidable, it should be done only when the road ahead is clearly visible and with maximum caution. Maintain a steady, moderate speed, avoid sudden acceleration, and brake smoothly so that both you and drivers behind have enough time to react safely.

Use the defogger

Foggy and cold conditions often lead to moisture building up on the windscreen, which can further limit visibility. To counter this, switch on the vehicle’s defogger and direct airflow towards the windshield. If your car is equipped with a rear defogger, then you can enable that as well. Any condensation on the outside of the windshield should be cleared using the wipers. Ensuring the glass remains clear at all times is vital for maintaining good visibility and driving safely.

Use low beam and fog lamps

In foggy conditions, high beams do more harm than good. The intense light tends to bounce back off the tiny water droplets in the air, creating glare and further limiting what you can see. Using low beam headlights is a better option, and if your vehicle has fog lamps, switch them on as well. These lights are positioned and angled to improve visibility in dense fog and help you see the road ahead more clearly. Also, a few cars are equipped with a rear fog lamp, which helps the traffic behind to recognise your car better because the intensity of the rear fog lamp is a lot higher than the tail lamps.

Avoid sudden lane changes

Maintaining proper lane discipline is crucial when driving in fog. Sudden lane changes can be extremely dangerous, especially on highways where vehicles are moving at higher speeds. When visibility is poor, rely on lane lines and road markings to stay on a consistent path and avoid drifting out of your lane. Whether you are driving in the city or on open roads, sticking to your lane reduces the risk of collisions. Use road markers as visual guides and keep your vehicle positioned between them to stay on course until conditions improve.

The best safety tip that we can suggest is to just park the vehicle at a petrol pump, charger or some restaurant and wait for the conditions to get better. Driving in dense fog demands intense focus and can quickly lead to fatigue, increasing the risk of mistakes.