Winter is fast approaching and road conditions are becoming more dangerous. Here’s some tips from the RAC on how to stay safe on the roads in severe fog.
Over the past week we have begun to see signs of winter weather approaching, which means more dangerous driving conditions for UK commuters. This weekend we have seen fog patches covering many areas across the UK causing chaos. This has also meant a disruptions at all major airports and flights either being cancelled or delayed. Most drivers have probably all driven in fog, but do they know the real dangers and what to do to prevent an accident?
The dangers of driving in fog
According to the RAC reduced visibility can be extremely dangerous for motorists, especially in areas that are not well lit such as A roads. Their top tips for safely driving in fog are:
- Check before every journey that all lights on your vehicle are working.
- Use fog lights if your car has them but only when visibility is less than 100 metres.
- Have a phone with you that is fully charged and a charge cable in case of breakdown or emergency (remember that it is illegal to use a phone whilst driving).
- Make sure your fuel tank is full.
- Headlights should be dipped at all times. Motorists whose vehicles have automatic headlight systems that are activated by low light levels should remember to make sure their lights are switched on manually as they may not be automatically activated in foggy conditions. Also drivers whose vehicles have daytime running lights should ensure rear lights are switched on as most vehicles with this feature only illuminate the front lights
- Use the ‘two second’ rule when leaving a gap between you and the car in front of you. This allows for sufficient braking distance if the vehicle in front brakes unexpectedly.
- Don’t attempt to navigate using the car in front’s tail lights, as this could lead you to getting too close to them.
- If visibility is very limited, wind down your windows at junctions to allow you to listen out for approaching traffic.
- If visibility is very bad you should consider stopping in a safe place and see if the weather passes and is safe enough to drive again.
- Remember to turn your fog lights off when the fog subsides as it could dazzle other motorists on the road.
Accidents that have been caused by Fog
Fog can be deadly on our roads, especially in rural areas were viability is compromised by limited street lighting. In October 2015, South Yorkshire, six young adults were involved in a road traffic accident which was caused in part by the severe fog. The accident involving three cars, whereby a group of friends were travelling in two cars and one of the cars was hit. One of the passengers in the car got out unhurt and found five of his friends unconscious. He desperately tried to help them but found that the doors could not be opened due to the impact. Witnesses of the accident claims that they saw the two cars at a set of lights side by side, reeving engines as if to start a race. The inquest states how the weather was very foggy and was a ‘recipe for disaster’. These types of news reports are common in the UK and highlights the potential issues we have in drivers lack of vigilance and precautions when driving in severe fog.
Have you been involved in a rod traffic accident caused by Fog? Here’s how we can help
With 20 years of experience we know all there is to know about road traffic accident claims and understand that each of our clients has different priorities when it comes to making a claim, whether it is rehabilitation for their injuries or simply recovering the loss of their vehicle. We promise that whatever your priority is we will do our best to support it and help you claim the compensation you need and deserve.
How to claim
To find out more about road traffic accident claims or to see if you are entitled to claim yourself call us on 0800 61 43 61 today. We work on a ‘no win no fee’ basis, which means providing that all information you provide is correct and honest you won’t pay a penny if your case if does not win.