San Francisco is known for its foggy winter season. While it can add to the city’s charm, it is also hazardous. Many people know the dangers of driving on ice and snow, but few realize how harmful fog can be. Reduced visibility makes foggy weather unsafe. In fact, statistics show precisely how deadly driving in the fog can be. Annually, there are approximately 31,385 fog-related crashes, which cause 11,812 injuries and 511 deaths.
The truth is, no matter how experienced a driver you are, driving in the fog is complicated. Safety tips must be followed to avoid crashes, accidents, and possibly death when driving in the fog. While you should avoid driving in the fog altogether, sometimes emergencies require you to do so. In this case, you must keep safe and legal repercussions in mind and follow all the required safety protocols. In this article, we’ve discussed tips for driving in the fog in San Francisco and what you can do to keep you and your family safe.
How to Drive in the Fog in San Francisco
San Francisco’s foggy weather can be unrelenting, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take the proper precautions to avoid accidents. Fog isn’t an excuse for reckless driving, and it’s essential to change your driving behavior when you’re faced with changes in weather conditions. Suppose you’re careful, alert, and take proper safety precautions. In that case, you can avoid accidents and be held responsible for injuries and crashes.
In addition to San Francisco’s foggy weather conditions, it’s also well-known that California’s roads are some of the busiest in the United States. With traffic and the sheer number of vehicles on the road, collisions are common. At Phoong Law, we know how complex this can be. Follow our tips for driving in the fog to ensure your safety and security.
1. Keep Your Distance
When driving in the fog, it’s essential to keep your distance from other cars. Even though you might need less space in typical weather, foggy conditions change everything. Keep at least five seconds of distance between you and a vehicle in front of you. Keeping a safe distance from other cars gives you more time to react if something happens. If you’re following another car too closely, an accident can result in a pile-up.
2. Drive Slowly and Carefully
One of the most essential tips for driving in the fog is slowly and carefully. With reduced visibility, there’s a higher likelihood of accidents. Driving is highly visual, and the lack of visual cues makes keeping up with your surroundings difficult. Thus, it’s critical to drive slowly and watch your speedometer.
When driving in the fog, it’s common to pick up speed without even realizing it. Many people do this, and since they ignore the speedometer, they don’t know they’re putting themselves and others at risk. That’s why it’s integral to glance at your speedometer every now and then to ensure you’re not falling victim to this behavior.
This is true even if you’re familiar with the road. Unless you know every twist and turn, you can’t understand what’s ahead. Even if you do, other vehicles and their actions can catch you off guard. Driving slowly is the best way to be careful and prepared to hit the brakes in an emergency.
Driving slowly also gives you more time to react if something does come up and allows you to see street signs and more. That being said, don’t drive too slowly. In this case, you can become a hazard to other drivers. Don’t pass other cars, try to get ahead, or switch lanes unless you have to. This may complicate matters unnecessarily.
3. Use the Proper Lights
One of the drivers’ biggest mistakes when driving in foggy weather is using their high-beam headlights instead of low-beam headlights. This may sound counterintuitive at first, but using high-beam headlights can reduce visibility. The bright lights bounce off the fog and reflect it back to you, worsening the situation.
Instead, use either low-beam headlights or fog lights. Proper lighting is critical when driving in the fog because it allows you to see the road and cars around you and allows others to see your vehicle. If you have fog lights, this is the best possible solution. These are usually lower than regular headlights and are aimed directly at the ground, making it easier to see. While most vehicles have front fog lights, some even have rear fog lights. Both can be useful and help avoid accidents.
It’s also essential to note that you should turn on your headlights or fog lights even during the day. This isn’t just reserved for when it’s dark since it aids visibility. It’s essential since other drivers may not do their due diligence and may not have their headlights or fog lights on.
4. Keep Your Windows Clear
In a foggy area like San Francisco, it’s always good to invest in a good defroster and keep it in the warm-to-hot setting. The moisture that accumulates on your windows limits visibility and can result in collisions. Keeping your windows clean is essential to properly navigate the road. You can also use your windshield wipers to clean the glass and improve visibility. Alternatively, use a towel or squeegee to clean the windows before driving.
If possible, you can also keep your windows down to listen for any traffic instead of strictly relying on visual cues.
5.Watch Out for Animals
Your visibility is compromised in the fog. The same is true for animals. Since they can’t see vehicles from far off, they feel safer crossing the road. However, because of limited visibility, you may not see an animal until it’s too late. Suddenly swerving to avoid hitting an animal can result in a devastating accident. Alternatively, you may see the animal but have no time to react, which can result in roadkill. Driving in the fog is dangerous, so it’s always best to be prepared and keep your eyes open for any animals.
6.Always Check Your Mirrors
Your mirrors serve an important function when driving. They’re especially important when driving in the fog. It’s critical to keep checking your mirrors and blind spots, so you’re always aware of what’s happening on the road. This will help you keep an eye on other vehicles, animals, and more.
7.Don’t Use Your Phone or Other Distractions
Texting while driving is never okay. However, many people opt for hands-free devices and think they won’t be distracted. This isn’t the case. The fog itself is a major distraction, and compounding distractions can turn a simple car ride deadly. Don’t use your phone and avoid listening to the radio. While it might be tempting on a long ride, it’s more useful to listen out for vehicles. By minimizing distractions, you’ll be able to fully focus on driving and be a more careful driver. If you’re tempted to reach for your phone, you can either put it on “Silent” or “Do Not Disturb” modes or put it in your glove compartment, where you’ll be less likely to reach for it while driving.
8.Take Advantage of the White Lines
One of the most important tips for driving in the fog is to take advantage of the white lines on the road. These can be used as indicators. Make sure to use the right-side lines instead of the center lines. Using the center lines will take you too close to the other side of the road and oncoming vehicles. Instead, use the right-side markings as a guide.
Sometimes, it’s easier to follow other vehicles’ lights and use those as reference points. However, the best way to ensure you’re driving safely is to drive within the road lines and use them as a guide instead. Many drivers naturally fixate on lights and may even steer towards them. Instead of falling victim to this, keep your eyes moving and focus on as much of the road in front of you as you can.
9. Don’t Rely on Cruise Control
Cruise control can seem like a great option since it regulates the speed. However, this is not suitable when you’re driving in the fog. Since you need to have full control of your vehicle at all times, avoid using cruise control and stay in charge of the speed and other factors.
10.Pull Over Instead of Stopping
If you need to stop on the road while driving in the fog, don’t just stop. Pull over on the side of the road and ensure that your lights are off. Many people think it’s important to keep their lights on so other cars can see them. However, they don’t realize that doing so could indicate you’re still driving and can cause an accident.
Additionally, you should always use your turn signal when pulling off the road. This is to alert others who may be using your vehicle as a guide. Additionally, when driving in the fog, it’s important to do this much earlier than you would when driving in normal weather conditions.
11. Don’t Blindly Follow the Vehicle in Front of You
Another big mistake drivers make is using the vehicle in front of them as a guide. However, when it comes to tips for driving in the fog, this is the last thing you should do. Instead of putting your safety in someone else’s hands, you should be in control of your vehicle at all times. Additionally, paying too much attention to the vehicle in front of you can lead to you ignoring the road and other vehicles surrounding you. Therefore, instead of focusing on specific vehicles, focus on the road in general.
12. Avoid Driving in Extreme Fog
Most of the time, extreme fog is temporary, and some choose to drive in the fog because of their jobs or important errands. However, in extreme conditions, fog can last for hours and can be very dense. When this is the case, it’s best to avoid driving altogether. No matter how experienced you may be, driving in adense fog is never safe.
Keep an eye out for fog advisories and warnings, and never drive when these warnings are issued. If you’re driving in mild fog and the situation worsens, don’t hesitate to pull over into a parking lot or elsewhere to wait it out until the situation gets better. Not being able to see can greatly impact your ability to drive, and being careful is critical in avoiding an accident.
Safe Driving in the Fog Can Protect You Legally
There’s no denying that driving in foggy weather can be dangerous. That’s why it’s so important to be careful and follow safety protocols. Not only can this protect you from accidents and injuries, but it can also protect you legally.
If you don’t practice safe driving and cause an accident, you could be held liable for damages. Drivers need to act appropriately during different weather conditions, so they’re not legally responsible for accidents. Avoid legal implications by following our tips for driving in the fog.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a fog-related accident, don’t worry. Phoong Law can help. Whether it’s securing compensation for damages or defending yourself against legal action, expert attorneys like AnhPhoong can help. We’re experts in personal injury law and have handled hundreds of cases, making us the go-to personal injury law firm in the San Francisco and Sacramento areas.
You should be following road safety tips at all times. However, if another driver hasn’t done so and was negligent when driving in the fog, you deserve compensation. Whether it’s through a personal injury lawsuit or through an insurance claim, we can get you the sum you deserve.
Call us at +1 (866) GOT-PAIN or request a free consultation with us here.
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