Why does fog increase the frequency of car accidents?

All sorts of weather conditions can have a drastic impact on car accident rates. People most often think about ice and snow when they consider this angle, but you also have to think about the impact of rain and fog.

You may not be able to avoid driving in the fog. You still have to go through your commute, or you still have to go to school. You can also just run into a bank of fog when the roads have otherwise been clear. Why does this put you in such danger?

It reduces your visibility

Studies have found that more than 16,000 people get injured in accidents caused by fog each year, while more than 600 pass away. The main reason for this is that visibility is drastically reduced in the fog. This makes it harder to react appropriately to conditions around you.

People overrun their headlights

One problem with driving in the fog is that people simply don’t slow down enough. They may be able to see the road directly in front of them, but they overrun their headlights by driving so fast that they could never stop within the cone of those lights. This means that any unexpected hazard is going to cause an accident, even if they believe they’re being vigilant and they try to hit the brakes right away.

Other drivers slow down too much

A related problem can be when people slow down too much or come to a complete stop in the fog. If you do this, you always want to get off to the side of the road and wait for the weather to clear. Stopping in the travel lane just means that drivers behind can’t see you, and this can cause rear-end accidents.

If you do get injured in an accident in the fog, you need to know how to seek financial compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and any other costs. Experienced legal guidance can help make sure that your rights are fully protected.