You can encounter all kinds of weather conditions in your vehicle—and they can spring up on you quickly, too. The day could be full of sunshine one minute, and then a storm could roll in while you’re in the grocery store, leaving you to navigate the way home in less-than-ideal conditions. It’s therefore important to know how to drive in all kinds of weather. You never know what’s going to happen, so always be prepared. Snow, rain, sleet, hail, high winds, and fog each affects the performance of a car differently. They’re unique conditions and overcoming each requires a different driving style. Here are some safety tips for driving in foggy weather to help you out.

Slow Down

The first thing you need to do is slow down. You’ll certainly be late to wherever you’re going if you crash the car, so slow down. The normal visibility of the human eye on a clear day is around 18 miles, but fog will greatly diminish this. Even light fog can make it difficult to see a mile ahead of you—heavy fog can make it hard to see the taillights right in front of you. That decreased vision will shorten your reaction time in the event something crosses your path, increasing the chance of a crash.

Don’t use the High Beams

When we can’t see very well at night, our first instinct is often to use the high beams. In heavy fog, that is the last thing you should do. It will only make a bad situation worse. The high beams bounce off the fog and decrease your visibility. Keep the low beams on to make things easier on yourself. If your vehicle has fog lights, turn those on instead.

Use the White Line

We’re taught to keep our heads up and to look beyond the hood of the car when we’re driving. That’s a good practice during normal driving conditions, but in fog, you should focus on the white line at the edge of the road if you’re really struggling to see. Using that as a guide will help you by keeping you on the road and letting you see any bends or sharp turns.

Never Stop in the Middle of the Road

No matter how thick the fog is, and no matter how limited your vision is, do not stop on the road. This only invites disaster. If you can’t see, no one else can, either. The other drivers won’t be expecting a car to be stopped on the road, and they probably won’t be able to avoid hitting you in dense fog. If you’re scared, then find a parking lot or driveway to pull into until the fog passes. For the best tire store in Gastonia, NC, come to RNR Tire Express. We have a huge selection, and we can install the tires while you wait.