Tips for Driving a Semi in the Fog

Tips for Driving a Semi in the Fog

Fog has a nasty habit of rolling in during some of the worst or most unexpected times of the day, obscuring your vision and making your rig far more dangerous than it already is during clearer weather conditions. To help you get through safely, we have provided a few precautionary tips for driving a semi in the fog.

Reduce Your Speed

The first precaution you should take is to reduce your speed. Your schedule takes a backseat to your safety and that of other drivers, no matter what. Reducing your speed will ensure you have a greater reaction time for any twists, turns, or obstacles in the road, so you don’t accidentally ram into another car or drive your rig into a ditch. Giving yourself ample time to react to road conditions is crucial because of the large and unwieldy vehicle you’re driving, which acts almost like a wrecking ball on the road.

Use Your Lights

One of the best tips for driving a semi in the fog is to make use of all the lights at your disposal. Using your headlights and high beams will help you see more of the road and, even if it’s not too helpful for seeing through the fog, it will help other drivers see you. For the purpose of making yourself as visible as possible through the fog, you should use your four-way flashers or hazard lights to alert drivers behind your rig to your presence.

Get the Proper Mirrors

Now that you’ve made yourself more visible to other drivers, it’s important to do what you can to improve your own situational awareness. Semi-truck mirrors will give you a greater view of your rig’s surroundings and help you spot the headlights of other cars so you can see if anyone is behind you or trying to pass.

Avoid Changing Lanes

Because your truck can so easily obliterate something smaller like a sedan, you should avoid changing lanes as much as possible. Reducing your speed and sticking to a single lane will ensure your course remains predictable for the other drivers on the road. Avoiding changing lanes as you drive through the fog is also safer should a car be in your blind spot when you attempt to change lanes.