The arrival of winter coincided with the formation of the first fogs on the roads: how to use fog lights correctly.
There fog it is one of the most unpleasant and dangerous atmospheric phenomena for motorists. Particularly widespread in this season at night and in the early hours of the day on mountain roads or in the Po Valley, in the most serious cases it can be so thick as to severely impair visibility.
In these situations, needless to say, you have to be more cautious than ever: the thick fog is able to make even a road sign placed just 50 meters from your position with the risk of not even seeing the cars coming from the opposite lane.
To fix it, use i fog lights which, as the name suggests, allow you to “cleave” the banks of fog so as to be visible to other cars.
They are particular lights that used incorrectly can however become dangerous on the contrary: their light is so intense that, if you were to activate them when it is not necessary, you risk “blinding” whoever is in front or behind you.
For this the Traffic Laws regulates both the switching on and off of these lights. Let’s see how and what fines are foreseen in case of incorrect use.
How to use the fog lights in the car correctly
The first precaution that must never be forgotten is that both the low beam and fog lights need to be cleaned regularly to prevent dirt from compromising the quality of the light beam.
We must always guarantee the maximum possible visibility, especially if we are about to face the road in heavy fog conditions.
A great help therefore comes from the fog lights, which must also be as bright as possible to work in the best way. In this sense, the Highway Code, inarticle 153 paragraph 2remember that they should only be turned on in specific conditions such as snowfall, heavy rain and, of course, fog, mist or smoke.
Be careful though, because as we have said, if we do not use them correctly, for example activating them when it is not necessary, there is a risk of creating a danger to the drivers we pass.
For this reason, the same article of the Highway Code provides for the improper use of these devices entails a fine ranging from 41 to 168 euros.
Let’s not forget the rear fog light, placed in the rear of the car and often underestimated. This goes on only when visibility is less than 50 metrestherefore practically nothing, whether it is fog, a very heavy rain or an intense snowfall.
And the high beams? No, they won’t improve the situation, in fact they can only make it worse: the beam of light from these headlights would be reflected by the bank of fog, which works like a wall placed on the road, and consequently in the driver’s eyes.
