The National Weather Service issued a report at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday for dense fog until 8:30 a.m. The alert is for Northern Lake County and Southern Lake County as well as Orange and Seminole counties.
“Roadway reports indicate patchy dense fog is occurring early this morning, particularly in the vicinity of lakes and other area waterways around Greater Orlando. If you encounter dense fog, slow down, use your low-beam headlights, and increase following distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Fog will burn off within an hour or so after sunrise,” according to the NWS.
Navigating fog: Safety tips by the NWS
If you need to drive through fog, remember these safety guidelines:
Moderate your speed:
• Slow down and allow extra travel time to reach your destination safely.
Visibility priority:
• Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights. If available, employ your fog lights.
Avoid high-beams:
• Refrain from using high-beam headlights, as they create glare that impairs your visibility on the road.
Maintain safe gaps:
• Maintain a significant following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifts in traffic patterns.
Stay in your lane:
• To ensure you are staying in the correct lane, use the road’s lane markings as a guide.
Zero visibility strategy:
• In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.
No parking options:
• If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Once you come to a stop, turn off all lights except your hazard flashing lights, set the emergency brake, and take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated so that other drivers don’t mistakenly run into you.
By adhering to these recommendations from the NWS, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the risk of accidents and ensuring your well-being.
Source: The National Weather Service
