Driving in low visibility conditions
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In Ireland, the multi-vehicle crash on the N7 in 2007 which claimed the life of one person and injured 28 brought home the dangers of driving in foggy conditions.
Driving in foggy conditions can be extremely dangerous, and unfortunately can cost lives. While the recommendation is not to drive in heavy fog, sometimes people find themselves in fog before they know it.
There are some things you can do to make it to your destination safely:
- Be alert at all times, looking out for pedestrians, cars without their lights on and any other hazards.
- When you enter an area of fog, check your mirrors and slow down. If possible and safe to do so, pull over, stop well off the road and put your hazards on.
- If you can’t stop, reduce your speed and keep a safe distance from the car behind you. Some people are tempted to fix on the vehicle in front so they can see where they’re going but this can lead to tailgating. Foggy conditions can mean wet conditions, so your stopping distance will be greater.
- Use your dipped headlights and fog lights. Dipped headlights direct light onto the road, increasing the visibility of your car. Don’t put on your high beams as these can dazzle oncoming traffic even in heavy fog.
- If you go through a patch of clear visibility, don’t be lured into a false sense of security. Fog can be patchy.
- Turn on your defroster to get rid of any condensation that might be inside your car.
- Finally use your sense of hearing. Roll down the window slightly to hear the presence of other traffic.
Breaking down in fog can be very dangerous. It’s important in these circumstances to contact a breakdown recovery agency as quickly as possible. We can provide breakdown assistance. Please refer to your policy documentation to see if this is included. Breakdown cover provides:
- 24hr Roadside assistance
- Home Start
- Vehicle recovery or Journey completion
Contact us if you need to use your breakdown assist.