FLIGHTS delayed, crawling traffic, jams caused by crunches, idiots driving without lights, more idiots who don’t know when to turn them off – guess what, it’s the season for fog! And you need eyes in the back of your head!
Look out for the really useful safety systems such as approach control with person warning. collision prevention, adaptive cruise control, and any version of a city braking system or what Audi has labelled as Pre-Sense
Together with falling leaves and pheasants – plummeting or launching – foggy weather is a seasonal hazard that can go from light mist to total white-out in a space of yards. And if you can’t see through it you don’t know what dangers lurk. So here are five facts to drive safely in fog as a reminder for careful business motoring:
1. Using your lights
You need to have your headlights on but you should only use foglights, front and/or rear (if you have a choice!) if visability is seriously reduced. Misuse is as big an offence an non use of lights – and that’s part of the Highway Code.
Rear fog lights can out-shine your brake lights, front fog lights are a dazzling distraction in the mirror. Out of the murk? Turn them off.
2. Keep your windows clear
If it’s foggy the odds are your windows are covered in condensation outside so wipe them all before driving off and keep the inside demisted too. It’s another offence to drive with restricted vision.
3. Choose your safety system
If you’re choosing a new business car and you’re confronted with varieties of options and standard features, look out for the really useful safety systems such as approach control with person warning. collision prevention, adaptive cruise control, and any version of a city braking system or what Audi has labelled as Pre-Sense.
4. Staying on the radar
Adaptive cruise cruise is where your car can be set at a minimum distance behind the vehicle in front using radar. If it slows, or brakes, so will yours, and if you can’t even see because of a sudden bank of fog, that can be a life-saver.
With Pre-Sense the same kicks in to prevent or minimise the severity of any impact; you will get a dashboard warning that you’re too close and if you do nothing the car will apply the brakes, over-riding the throttle.
It can even anticipate a rear shunt. And seatbelt systems can be pre-tensioned too.
5. Look and listen
But the best advice is be prepared; keep those eyes wide open and don’t be distracted – and be grateful for the latest driving aids. And if it’s a real pea-souper, don’t be afraid to open your window when you stop at a junction and LISTEN for approaching traffic.
