![Vehicles drive in a recent dense morning fog on a Crestview street. Note how the car without its lights on blends in unsafely with the fog, while vehicles with headlights are more visible. [Brian Hughes | Crestview Police Department]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-477e8332-47df-4426-e053-0100007f15d6-7982a14d.jpeg)
CRESTVIEW — With Northwest Florida's mercurial winter weather, we've entered the season of periodic dense morning fog. The Crestview Police Department joins the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Dept. in offering recommendations to make residents' morning commutes safer when fog blankets the area.
"Reduce speed!" Cmdr. Andrew Schneider said. "Officers can cite you for driving unsafe speeds for the road conditions, even if you're doing the posted speed limit."
"Driving in fog can feel like driving while wearing a blindfold," an article on SeniorDriving.AAA.com states. "Objects, such as other vehicles or traffic signals, may not be visible until the last moment – sometimes too late to take proper corrective action."
The Police Department reminds motorists that driving with hazard flashers activated is not only a distraction to other motorists, it is also illegal in Florida.
"Turn your headlights on," Crestview Police Officer Chaise Rawles said, but he cautioned motorists not to rely on automatic headlight activation systems in their vehicles. "It can't detect fog and won't turn your lights on," Rawles said.
Using headlights is particularly important, Schneider said, even if it's daylight. Vehicles driving without headlights blend into the fog bank are not visible to oncoming traffic until they are too close to react to, he said.
"If you can't see them, they can't see you if your lights aren't on," Schneider said.
The officers also advised drivers to avoid using high beams in fog.
"Use low beams only," Schneider said. "High beams can reflect back on the fog and distract your vision."
•DRIVE WITH LIGHTS on low beam. High beams will only be reflected back off the fog and actually impair visibility even more.
•SLOW DOWN and watch your speedometer before you enter a patch of fog. Be sure that you can stop within the distance that you can see. Fog creates a visual illusion of slow motion when you may actually be speeding. Speed is a major factor in fog-related crashes.
•WATCH OUT for slow-moving and parked vehicles. Listen for traffic you cannot see. Open your window a little to hear better.
•REDUCE THE DISTRACTIONS in your vehicle. Turn off the radio and cell phone. Your full attention is required.
•USE WIPERS AND DEFROSTERS liberally for maximum visibility. Sometimes it is difficult to determine if poor visibility is due to fog or moisture on the windshield.
•USE THE RIGHT EDGE of the road or painted road markings as a guide.
•BE PATIENT. Avoid passing and/or changing lanes.
•SIGNAL TURNS well in advance and brake early as you approach a stop.
•DO NOT STOP on a freeway or heavily traveled road. You could become the first link in a chain-reaction collision. If you must pull off the road, signal (people tend to follow tail lights when driving in fog), then carefully pull off as far as possible. After pulling off the road, turn on your hazard flashers (it is illegal to use your emergency flashers except when stopped). Move away from the vehicle.
Sources: Crestview Police Department, Florida Highways and Motor Vehicles Dept.
Foggy weather driving tips
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Driving tips for Northwest Florida’s foggy mornings