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Fog Driving

High beams in fog make visibility worse, not better: the light bounces off the water droplets directly back into your eyes. Use low beams or dedicated fog lights, reduce speed further than feels instinctively necessary, and leave following distance based on time rather than visual distance estimation. Navigate by road markings rather than the tail lights of the vehicle ahead, which can lead you too close without realizing it. Leave enough space to react in an emergency regardless of what the vehicle ahead is doing.

Visibility deteriorates in fog:

  • Turn on your low beam headlights and fog lights.
  • Reduce your speed and refrain from passing other vehicles.
  • Leave enough time to react in an emergency by keeping a safe braking distance from the vehicle in front of you.

FAQ

Read our Frequently Asked Questions.

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  • Use low beam headlights—not high beams. High beams reflect off fog particles and reduce your visibility instead of improving it.

  • Use front fog lights if your vehicle has them. They're positioned lower and designed to illuminate the road directly below the fog.

  • Slow down significantly and increase following distance. In dense fog, your stopping distance must account for what you can't see ahead.

  • Do not use hazard lights while moving—they flash and can confuse other drivers about whether you're stopped or moving.

  • If visibility becomes dangerously low, pull completely off the road (not just onto the shoulder), turn off your lights, and wait for conditions to improve.

Rear fog lights (a single bright red light on the rear of some vehicles) should be used when visibility drops below approximately 100 metres—roughly when you can't see further than a city block ahead. They're much brighter than regular tail lights and help drivers behind you see your vehicle in heavy fog or falling snow. Turn them off when visibility improves, as they're too bright for normal conditions and can blind the driver behind you. Don't confuse them with your regular tail lights, which should always be on when headlights are active.

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