Arrive Alive And Well: Things To Avoid When Driving In Foggy Conditions
Posted on: 21 March 2017
If you ask any personal injury attorney if you should drive when it's foggy outside, you will hear a resounding "no"! Fog can make driving more dangerous and cause car crashes. The Federal Highway Administration reports that fog plays a role in 28,533 automobile accidents each year that result in nearly 500 deaths per year and almost 11,000 injuries. While it's better to avoid driving in the fog, make sure you refrain from doing the following things if you find yourself having to drive when in foggy weather conditions.
Don't Stop in the Roadway
When it's very hard to see because of the fog, some drivers freak out and come to a complete stop right in the road. That's a bad idea. Because visibility is already reduced by the fog, the next driver who comes along may not see your stopped vehicle in the road. If you need to stop your car, find a safe exit and get off the road altogether. Try to get to a gas station or store parking lot, then wait in your parked car with the lights off until the fog passes.
Don't Speed Up or Panic
Do your best to remain calm and slow down when you encounter dense fog. Some people impulsively speed up when they panic and simply want to get their cars out of the foggy conditions. Because of the reduced visibility caused by the fog, speeding up is the worst thing you can do, and you may hit pedestrians or other cars, causing road fatalities. Don't risk it. Just slow down instead. Try to remain as calm as possible while going forward at a reduced speed.
Don't Try to Multitask
Since driving in the fog already increases your risk of getting into a car accident, that would be the worst possible time to try to multitask as you drive. Instead, focus on carefully driving through the fog. Request silence so that you aren't tempted to chat with your passengers and minimize all possible distractions.
Finally, try to stay off the road if fog is predicted in your area. It's better to take longer to arrive at your desired location than be taking a detour to your personal injury attorney's office after a car crash. If you can't stay off the road, take actions to protect yourself from dangerous foggy conditions. Keep safety first and foremost in your mind when driving in the fog and always try to safely exit the road if you get overwhelmed. If you have been in an accident due to poor road conditions and another driver's poor behavior, contact a firm like Cok Kinzler PLLP.
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