Imagine yourself driving in a massive fog which made it difficult for you to see the road. You might fear crashing your vehicle into the pole or trees. This leads to the question of what lights to use in fog? Should you use high beams in fog or some other lights are designed for such bad weather?
Well, the answer is you should always use fog lamps and headlights both in this condition. Let’s delve into the details and understand what are the different kinds of fog lights that you can use in fog.
Fog Lights
People often get confused with headlights and fog lights. Some drivers keep their high beam headlights on while driving in dense fog, which is not safe. This is where fog lights are useful.
If you need to cut through the fog while driving, you should turn on your vehicle’s fog lights. These fog lights are usually placed ahead of your vehicle and on the back. Both of them serves different purpose while driving. Let’s find out:
Front Fog Lights
The front fog lights are usually located below your vehicle’s main headlights. It ensures that you can see the road marking clearly not only when it is foggy but also when the visibility is low due to heavy rainfall or snow.
The basic idea behind using a front fog light is to drive safely in rough weather. These fog lights are available in amber, yellow, and white colors. Moreover, new vehicles usually come with in-built fog lights considering how bad the weather goes in many countries.
Rear Fog Lights
Rear fog lights are located on the back of your vehicle. Many drivers might confuse them with brakes as they are of the same color and intensity. To differentiate between the two, vehicle manufacturers usually install both the rear fog lights for a symmetrical look but they wire the connection of only one fog light.
Only one wired fog light on the rear side helps the other driver on the road to know that you are not stopping your vehicle but instead, you have turned your fog light because of low visibility. The rear lights also help the other drivers around you to know at what speed your vehicle is moving, so that they can also follow the same and avoid accidents.
How To Turn On Fog Lights?
You can simply look for a knob that consists of a lamp icon, which is usually placed near the headlight option. On some vehicles, fog lights have their own separate switch that makes it easier for the vehicle owner to switch it on when the weather conditions turn bad.
To check if your fog lights are on or not, you can park your vehicle at a safe place (could be your own parking lot) and check by standing in front of the vehicle. You can do the same by asking a friend to hit the brake and see if one of the fog lights gets switched on at the rear side.
Safety Tips When Driving in Fog
Here are some of the safety tips that you should keep in mind when driving in fog:
Avoid high speed. Drive slow when you are driving through a foggy area. Reduce your speed and avoid overtaking vehicles or changing lanes.. Drive slow when you are driving through a foggy area. Reduce your speed and avoid overtaking vehicles or changing lanes.
Check indicators and keep windows clean. Always check your indicators before driving in bad weather conditions. Make sure they are working properly and also clean your windows and windscreen properly to ensure that you see around you clearly.
Use your lights properly. Always switch off your fog lights as soon as the weather condition becomes normal otherwise it might create a safety hazard. Moreover, it is also considered an offense to keep the fog lights on when the weather condition is not bad.
Choosing the legal fog lights color. Do not change the color of the lights to something that is not legal in your state or country. White, Yellow, and Amber are the most common colors to use when it comes to fog lights. It is highly recommended to stick to one of these colors.
FAQs About Fog Lights
Q1: What lights do you put on in fog?
Use the fog lights and avoid using high-beam headlights as they won't cut the fog.
Q2: Are LED Fog lights good for fog?
Yes, there are several advantages of using LED lights. They provide a whiter shade of light, which makes it easier for the human retina and they also match with the xenon HID headlights.
Q3: What lights should you use in fog or snow?
Fog, snow, sand storms, or heavy rain, you can always switch on your fog lights as they are best for these bad weather conditions.
Q. Is using fog lights illegal?
No. If the visibility gets lower than 100 meters, you can switch on your fog lights but turn them off after the visibility is normal.
Conclusion
It is worth noting that you should only use fog lights when it is required. If you use fog lights unnecessarily, it can cause safety hazards. Hope this article helped you to understand what lights to use in fog and when to turn them off.
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