Fog is one of the most challenging conditions to drive in as it dramatically reduces visibility and makes the road ahead very difficult to read. Thick blankets of fog can obscure your vision within a matter of seconds, making driving at an appropriate speed with the correct lights essential to keeping safe.

Here are our top 5 tips to keep you safe whilst driving in fog:

1. Before entering fog you must check your mirrors and slow down, and use dipped headlights and fog lights when vision is seriously reduced (generally when you can’t see for more than 100 metres).

The symbol for fog lights looks like this, and you will be able to find buttons with these symbols on your dashboard.

2. You MUST switch off your fog lights as soon as visibility improves, as they dazzle other drivers and obscure your brake lights. But, always remember that you should never rely on your auto-headlights as quite often they won’t come on when driving in fog leaving you with no lights and almost invisible to other road users.

3. DO NOT use full beam lights in the fog, even if there are no other drivers on the road. A lot of drivers make the mistake of thinking the brightest lights will be the most effective in improving visibility – but, unfortunately, they have the opposite effect in foggy conditions. The fog reflects the light back at you, resulting in even worse visibility.

4. Keep a safe distance in front of you, and beware of drivers ahead not using the appropriate headlights. You must be able to safely stop in the distance you can see.

5. It is also good practice to not play loud music and be able to hear the road around you and approaching vehicles in foggy conditions.
6. Don’t venture out if your journey isn’t necessary. If you have to travel and someone is expecting you at the other end, let them know that you’ll be taking longer than usual for your journey. This will stop them worrying if you don’t turn up on time and will also take the pressure off you, so you don’t feel you have to rush.

Section 226 to 237 of The Highway Code covers driving in adverse weather such as fog.