The great British weather presents us with driving challenges at the best of times. Winter driving can come with challenging conditions such as darker mornings and nights, storms, high winds, fog, ice, and snow. Freezing Fog in particular can be very dangerous and Vavista has found some easy steps you can take to make your driving easier and safer.
Did you know…
Like normal fog, freezing fog is caused by land cooling overnight under clear skies. Freezing fog is similar but even more hazardous as it’s fog in freezing temperatures and consists of supercooled water droplets suspended in the air. This can lead to increased chances of black ice or your windscreen freezing over impairing visibility.
Preparing for driving in freezing fog
There are a few simple steps you can take to be safer in these conditions;
- Ask yourself, is it safe to drive or should I postpone my journey?
- If your car is iced up, ensure it’s all clear BEFORE driving
- Make sure you know how to operate both front and rear fog lights, know where the buttons are, and any settings
- When it’s really cold have a quick look at the pavement, is it frozen? This will give you a good idea of the potential road conditions
- Pull away gently using low revs, you might even need to use 2nd gear to get going, and be gentle with both the accelerator and brakes to avoid skidding
- If the freezing fog is severe use your fog lights, but DON’T use your headlights on full beam as this will reflect back and dazzle both you and other road users
- Leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front, the ‘two second rule’ is a good way to be at a safer distance
- Stick to main roads if you can as these are more likely to have been cleared, gritted and maintained by local authorities and the Highways Agency
- Give yourself up to ten times more distance between you and vehicles. This is even more important at junctions where markings may not be visible
