Drive Safe: Tips To Avoid Accidents in Heavy Fog

Every winter, smog is one of the most dangerous driving scenario the motorists have been facing in the country. With low visibility and high level of moisture in the air, dozens of lives have been claimed in the accidents.

Recently on Yamuna Expressway in the national capital, cars rammed into one another due to heavy smog. The incident claimed two lives and several injured. In Punjab, a truck crushed college students standing on the flyover to death due to low visibility. A total of nine students were killed in the incident.

While it is a difficult task for vehicles to ride on the pothole-ridden and unplanned roads, smog has been making driving worse.

Here are some safety measures that are to be followed while driving in heavy smog.

— The first thing a driver should keep in mind is to minimise the speed of his vehicle to ensure visibility. Due to fog, the response and stoppage times are abysmally low which means that vehicle speed has to come down. This will help drivers avoid bumpers, take alternate routes in case the vehicles ahead of you have already collided each other.

— In case the visibility drops by a few notches, park your vehicle off the road by finding a secure place. But don't forget to switch on your parking lights. Get down from the vehicle or sit in the car wearing your seat belt.

— Never use your hazard lights while car is in motion. Hazard lights indicate that vehicle is in some sort of danger. However, it is common in India where drivers use hazard lights while in rain, fog, while passing a tunnel. Educate your friends and family members on this if you find them using this.

— Use low beam headlamps and fog lamps in smog conditions. Rather than using high beam, drivers should also ensure safety of vehicles that come in the opposite direction.