Thick fog is pervasive during early morning commutes in the fall. With a dense cloud reducing your visibility, a routine drive to work can easily become dangerous. Fortunately, there are ways you can improve your visibility and improve your chances of avoiding an auto accident on those foggy mornings.
Make Sure Your Headlights Work
A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) during the summer concluded that the headlights in small SUVs perform poorly. They tested 21 small SUVs, and all failed to earn a good rating. Small SUVs are a popular vehicle among American drivers. If you have one, then hope isn’t lost. You can improve your visibility by upgrading the lights in your vehicle.
Install Fog Lights
Even if you have bright headlights, they are still limited. Your headlights can only light the road in front of you. They aren’t effective at illuminating something along the edge of the road. Fortunately, fog lights can extend your visibility by casting a light bright enough to illuminate deer and other animals that may be lurking along the highway. By installing fog lights, you can avoid an accident that could increase your auto insurance.
Dim the Lights in Your Console
Late model vehicles come with a lot of bells and whistles. Your console houses many of these fancy features that illuminate your interiors so much they reduce your visibility of the road. When it’s foggy outside, you don’t want any extraneous lights reducing your ability to focus exclusively on the highway. Instead of allowing your radio, GPS, or other feature to reduce your visibility, you can dim their lights, which will enhance your view of the road.
Drive Slowly
Another tried and true way to improve your driving skills while on the highway is to drive slower. When you drive slower, you have more control over your vehicle. With more control, you can easily react to a deer darting out in the road or a school bus that makes a sudden stop. Driving slower makes good driving sense and it protects you and everyone who may be on the road with you.
With fall upon us, you will likely experience more foggy mornings. Thick fog can lead to accidents that can affect your car insurance rate. To protect yourself and others, consider these four safety tips that will help you improve your visibility during those foggy mornings.