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Fog is essentially a cloud that forms at ground level, made up of tiny water droplets. You’ll typically see it early in the morning or evening, especially near rivers, lakes, or coastal areas, but it can appear at other times too.
Most fog accidents are preventable when you adjust your driving properly.
Before you set off in foggy conditions, make sure your car is safe and ready for the journey ahead, whether short or long.
Fog already limits your visibility, so don’t make it worse with dirty windows. Give your windscreen, side windows, and rear window a proper clean, inside and out.
Make sure you know how to demist your windscreen quickly. Fog creates moisture that steams up your windows. Practise using your demister and defroster controls: turn on the heater, direct airflow to the windscreen, and turn on the air conditioning. Some modern cars have a “demist” button too.
Your lights are crucial in fog, for seeing where you’re going and making sure other drivers can see you. Before driving, check that all of these are working:
You’ll be using your windscreen wipers frequently in fog, so check your washer fluid is topped up. The moisture from fog creates a film on your windscreen that needs regular clearing.
Make sure you have enough fuel or charge for your journey, with some extra to spare. Driving in fog takes longer than normal, and breaking down in foggy conditions is particularly dangerous – other drivers might not see your stationary car until they’re dangerously close.
Allow more time for your journey than you normally would. You’ll need to drive more slowly in fog, and you might need to pull over and wait if conditions get too bad.
Once you’re on the road, adjust your driving to the low-visibility conditions. Other drivers may struggle to see you, too.
This is the most important driving in fog safety tip. Reduce your speed as you need enough time to spot hazards and stop within the distance you can actually see. Fog also makes roads slippery. Fog makes you feel like you are driving slow so make sure you are regularly checking your speedometer.
Use dipped headlights when driving in fog, even in daylight. Never use high beams as they reflect off the fog and reduce visibility. If available, use fog lights when visibility drops below 100 metres.
Increase your gap significantly to at least 4–5 seconds, if not more. Slippery roads and poor visibility mean longer stopping distances. Use lane markings and roadside reflectors to stay positioned, especially on bends and at junctions.
Fog adds moisture quickly. Use wipers, demisters, and ventilation to prevent misting. Open a window slightly if needed.
Keep full control of your speed. Fog can hide hazards, and you may need to react instantly.
Turn down the radio and open a window slightly. Use sound to detect traffic you can’t see yet.
Don’t overtake as you can’t see far enough ahead. Stay in your lane and drive predictably. If visibility becomes just a few metres, pull over safely and wait for conditions to improve.
Fog lights are not lights that are used all the time, and so learners may not know what they are and where to find them. Let’s break down exactly what they are and when you’re legally allowed to use them.
Fog lights are lights on your car designed specifically for foggy conditions. They’re different from your normal headlights in a few key ways:
Every car has different controls. Your fog lights might be controlled by:
The fog light symbol shows a lamp with three diagonal or wavy lines passing through a vertical wavy line (the wavy line represents fog). This is how you know when to use fog lights and when they’re switched on. Please note that symbols can vary depending on your car’s make and model.
Rear fog light symbol: When your rear fog lights are on, an amber or orange warning light appears on your dashboard with one wavy line through it.
Front fog light symbol: If your car has front fog lights, a green warning light with two or three wavy lines will appear on your dashboard when they’re active.
The Highway Code (Rule 226) states you can only use fog lights when visibility is seriously reduced, which is when you cannot see more than 100 metres (328 feet) ahead.
As soon as visibility improves and you can see more than 100 metres ahead, you must turn your fog lights off. This is a legal requirement, not just a suggestion. It’s really easy to forget to turn them off, especially if you drove into fog, waited it out, then continued your journey. Get into the habit of checking. You’ll usually have a warning light on your dashboard showing they’re on.
Your driving test might not go ahead if there’s heavy fog. If visibility is considered too dangerous, the test centre will cancel your test, and you’ll need to rebook. If you’re worried about weather conditions on your test day, check your emails for updates from DVSA and consider calling the test centre to check if tests are going ahead.
Normal headlights (dipped and main beam) are mounted higher up on your car and are angled to light up the road ahead of you. Main beam points quite far ahead and up, which is great in normal conditions but terrible in fog, as the light just bounces back at you off the moisture droplets.
Fog lights are mounted much lower and angled downwards towards the road surface directly in front of you. This positioning helps them cut through or even shine under fog without creating blinding glare. Rear fog lights are specifically designed to be super bright so vehicles behind you can spot you in poor visibility.
Yes, you can drive in fog as a learner driver, as long as you’re supervised by a qualified driver (someone over 21 who’s held a full licence for at least 3 years). In fact, it’s beneficial to practise driving in different weather conditions during your learning period, including fog if you get the opportunity. You could ask your instructor about booking a lesson if foggy weather is forecast.
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