The National Weather Service issued a report at 3:51 a.m. on Tuesday for dense fog until 7 a.m. The alert is for Western Rensselaer, Eastern Rensselaer, Western Greene, Eastern Greene, Western Columbia, Eastern Columbia, Western Ulster, Eastern Ulster, Western Dutchess and Eastern Dutchess.

“The combination of light winds and residual moisture will allow for patchy fog, some of which could be locally dense. Improvement will be slow from west to east this morning, but fog could linger into the early part of the morning commute. Motorists should use low beam headlights and remain alert for rapidly changing visibilities. Allow extra time to reach your destination,” states the NWS.

Navigating fog: Safety tips by the NWS

If you must drive in foggy conditions, keep the following safety tips in mind:

Reduce speed:

• Slow down and allocate extra travel time to reach your destination safely.

Visibility matters:

• 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 lights, as they create glare, making it more difficult for you to see what’s ahead of you on the road.

Keep your distance:

• Maintain a generous following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifting traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

• Use the road’s lane markings as a guide to staying in the correct lane.

Visibility near zero:

• 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 precautions from the NWS, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the likelihood of accidents and ensuring your personal safety.

Source: The National Weather Service