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RCMP: Thick fog is a driving hazard anytime you encounter it

When cool air mixes with warm moist air over a damp surface, the moist air cools until its forms fog.
32327379_web1_driving-in-fog
(File photo)

When cool air mixes with warm moist air over a damp surface, the moist air cools until its forms fog.

Just like there are different types of snow, there are many types of fog. Alberta has freezing fog that can coat the road like black ice.

Fog usually forms in low-lying areas and can stretch for several kilometers while reducing visibility on a stretch of highway to a very short distance, while other areas are nearly clear.

How to drive safely in the fog:

• Make your vehicle is visible to others both ahead of you and behind you by using your low-beam headlights because this means your taillights will also be on.

• Slow down and turn off your cruise control. Most crashes happen because the driver’s going too fast for weather conditions.

• Drive with enough stopping space so you can stop in the distance you can see.

• Don’t use high-beam headlights. They won’t shine through the fog — they reflect the light back in your eyes, making it worse for you and other drivers. Use low-beams.

• In really dense fog, use front fog lights in addition to your low-beams if you have them. Never drive using only your parking or fog lights when visibility is less than 100 metres.



Emily Jaycox

About the Author: Emily Jaycox

I'm a reporter for Ponoka News and have lived in Ponoka since 2015.
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