Rear fogs light are the ones placed close to the brake lights on the back of the vehicle. These lights are an essential part of a vehicle depending on the state or country you live in. For instance, it is mandatory to install rear fog lights in Europe.
America, on the other hand, doesn’t require rear fog lights as per the law but they are not forbidden either. However, if you always need to drive in foggy conditions, then it is recommended to install rear fog lights that will ensure the safety of the driver and other vehicles around.
What Are Rear Fog Lights?
Rear fog lights are powerful red lights that are featured close to the brakes. They are used when the visibility is lower than 100 meters. They are great to penetrate not only fog but also heavy snow or rainfall.
These rear fog lights make your vehicle easily visible to others and they can slow down if the speed is more than usual or if you are driving slow due to heavy fog.
Talking about the design of the rear fog lights, they come in a pair or sometimes there is only one fog light on the driver’s side. One rear fog light is designed to avoid any confusion between these lights and the regular brake lights.
When To Turn Them On?
Wondering how to use rear fog lights? Actually, it works similar to the front fog lights. You need to turn them on when the visibility drops to avoid any chance of getting involved in an accident.
However, you should keep your fog lights off when there is no fog around. Why? If you keep the fog lights on unnecessarily, then it can simply cause a distraction to other drivers on the road and it can lead to an accident.
Some drivers keep their rear fog lights on just to show off their new vehicle. This can cause a potential accident and many countries have strict laws regarding this.
When driving in normal weather, your taillights and headlights are more than enough to keep your vehicle visible during the night. Using rear fog light is recommended only when the weather conditions are really bad and you fear that someone might hit your vehicle from the back.
Only the Driver’s Side Rear Fog Light Wired, Why?
While both the rear fog lights are installed, only one of them is wired, which is the driver’s side of the vehicle. So why is there two rear fog lights on the car? The reason is to make the vehicle look symmetrical from the back.
In America, only the left side of the rear fog light is wired. In the United Kingdom, the right side of the light is wired. However, some drivers might feel tempted to make both the rear fog lights work by fixing the wiring on their own but this might create safety issues.
Other drivers might confuse rear fog lights with brake lights and the confusion can create road safety hazards. When a vehicle’s one rear fog light is on, it is assumed that the driver must be at a particular speed and the driver in the other car can follow the same speed to avoid any accident.
However, if both the lights are on at the rear side, then another driver might confuse it for braking and stop the car. If the person driving behind your car understands that you are using both the rear fog lights, when you hit the brake, they might assume that your vehicle is still moving.
How To Know If Your Car Has A Rear Fog Light?
Simply ask a friend to stand behind your car when you hit the brakes. You can ask them to determine your tail light.
Once you are aware of the tail light, now you can press the fog light button and ask your friend to check if any similar lights are coming from the same area as your vehicle’s tail light. If yes, then congratulations! Your vehicle has rear fog light.
However, keep in mind, you are supposed to use them only in bad weather conditions and not to create trouble on the road.
FAQs About Rear Fog Lights
Q1: Do cars only have 1 rear fog light?
Cars have two rear fog lights but only one of them is wired to avoid confusion between these lights and the brake lights as both are red.
Q2: Are rear fog lights legal in the U.S.?
It depends on the states. But please note that keeping them on when there is no bad weather condition might get you into trouble according to the law as it can distraction for other drivers around you.
Q3: What is the rear fog light for?
They work as the positioning of your vehicle. For instance, if your vehicle is moving at a constant speed, it will indicate the other driver behind so that they can also follow the same speed and avoid any accident.
Q4: Can I drive around with my rear fog lights on all the time?
No. Please use it only when required. Never drive with your rear fog lights on unless you are driving in the poor visibility conditions such as heavy fog.
Conclusion
Rear fog lights are often neglected by many new drivers or those drivers who have never driven in bad weather conditions.
It is highly recommended that you should always learn whether your vehicle consists of rear fog lights or not so that if you ever get stuck in a giant fog or a heavy rainfall, you can easily avoid accidents.
