Fall and winter weather can be tricky. Fickle, even. Roads can be foggy this time of year, and depending on where you are, that fog could be extra thick. That’s why these tips for driving your RV in the fog can really help.
Our experience
We began our RV trip on what appeared to be a crisp, sunshiny day. Weather reports said patches of fog were possible, but skies were clear, visibility was good, and so we took off. It didn’t take long for the weatherman’s fog “patches” to morph into dense fog. It was like gliding through a cloud, except that we were towing our 40-foot fifth wheel RV. Too late, we realized that the predicted weather front had stalled, and so the fog was going to accompany us for much of our travel day! Ugh.
Tips for driving in the fog
Tip 1: Stay put
Do not drive when weather conditions are poor. Our chance to follow this commonsense directive had passed us by about 50 miles back. We were traveling along a state road in Ozark National Forest with its signature hills, winding curves, and deep valleys. I’m sure it would have been beautiful if not for the fog.
If able, stay put where you are and let the fog burn off or dissipate.
Tip 2: Reduce speed
Heavy fog limits your visibility, making it difficult or even impossible to see the vehicle ahead of you or locate your next turn. Obstacles in the roadway may also be hard to see until it’s too late. You do not want to hit a deer with your car or RV!
Safely stopping an RV may take longer than you think, so a slower speed can be a real lifesaver.
Studies show that many drivers quickly become accustomed to driving in the fog. They naturally (and often unwittingly) increase their speed. Keep a close eye on your speedometer to avoid this. Do not use cruise control.
Tip 3: Be seen
When driving in fog, make sure that other drivers can see you. Turn on your lights. It’s counterintuitive, but if you activate the high beams, your visibility will lessen. That’s because fog is formed from water droplets. Bright headlights will reflect off of these droplets, causing glare and worsened visibility.
Low beams or fog lights are best. Fog lights are positioned lower and will illuminate a wider swath of the roadway. If your vehicle has them, use them!
Tip 4: Use the defroster
Your vehicle’s defroster will help clear the condensation that forms on the inside of your windshield. Amica Insurance Company suggests that when driving in fog, use cold air when turning on the defroster. This will cool down the vehicle’s interior and help reduce condensation. Running the air conditioner will also help lower the temperature and humidity inside your vehicle.
Tip 5: Use your wipers
Another tip for driving your RV in the fog is to use the windshield wipers at an intermittent or low setting. This will remove condensation that collects on the exterior of your windshield. It’s recommended that you set the automatic wiper rather than activate the wipers manually. That way, you can concentrate solely on driving.
Tip 6: Stay back
Maintain a safe distance behind the vehicle on the road ahead of you. Avoid changing lanes frequently, passing other motorists, or making sudden turns.
Tip 7: Follow road lines
Other vehicles’ taillights may give you a reference point for where to position your vehicle on the road, but it’s better to use the painted road lines during foggy conditions. Use the white road lines that mark the right edge of the roadway to better ensure your safety and the safety of those riding with you.
Tip 8: Use your mirrors
Frequently check your rearview mirrors. Be cognizant of vehicles beside and behind you, especially in your blind spot. (To learn how to properly adjust your rearview mirrors here.)
Tip 9: Use your hazard lights
Each state has its own rules about using hazard lights. If fog fatigue begins to tire the driver or fog worsens, pull well off the roadway, signaling your intention in advance. Then activate your hazard lights so that approaching drivers can see that your rig is stopped on the shoulder.
After about an hour, we found a place to pull off the roadway. We parked and waited for conditions to improve. The fog eventually lifted, and we continued on our way. As I said, fall and winter weather can be fickle. Better to be safe than sorry!
Tip 10: Keep up with maintenance
You never know when you might drive into foggy conditions. That’s why it’s important to keep up with regular maintenance on your motorhome or tow vehicle. Have your speedometer professionally checked occasionally to ensure that it’s providing a correct reading. Make sure your brakes, headlights, and fog lights are in good working order. Keep your headlight lenses and rearview mirrors clean and remember these tips for driving your RV in the fog.
Do you have additional tips for driving your RV in the fog? Have you ever had a scary foggy-driving experience? Please share in the comments below.
RELATED
- Tips for safe RV driving on snow or ice
- 10 helpful tips for driving an RV at night
- Blowing in the wind: Truckers’ tips for safe driving
##RVDT2279
That white line on the right side of the lane is called the fog line for a reason, just don’t get so absorbed in watching the fog line that you crash into another vehicle or object ahead of you. Also don’t just pull off the road onto the shoulder as someone seeing your lights could suddenly turn in your direction and crash into you. Get off the road completely, an exit ramp, a parking lot, etc., but get completely away from a travel lane. Many people tend to concentrate on the tail lights in front of them and they could follow you off the road onto the shoulder.
Wear your sunglasses will help with the glare in fog and snow
Back when I was still truckin’, some of the worst fog ever was in Utah on the salt flats and even in Salt Lake City. It would be two-dash fog, meaning you could just barely make out two road ‘dashes’ in front of you. I would slow down so much that the point was – if there was someone dead stopped in front of me, I could stop before I hit them. That’s slow. Meantime, ‘big-strappers’ and crazy people would blow on by in the “hammer lane” like I was backing up! Gail’s advice about getting off the road is golden!
HEADLIGHTS not daytime running lights if your vehicle is so equipped. Headlights on mean you also have all your marker lights on so a vehicle coming up behind you or beside you can hopefully see you.
Turn on your fog, and headlights MANUALLY! Do NOT rely on your vehicles automated headlight controls to turn them on, as often times the ambient light in fog is above the light sensor threshold. Automatic headlight controls may be the most counterproductive safety feature ever invented. They haven’t yet been perfected.
And although most vehicles manufactured in the past 20 years come with daytime running lights, they are NOT Federally mandated, AND the vehicle tail lights are NOT simultaneously illuminated, limiting visibility of your vehicle to other drivers overtaking you at higher speeds.
Be Safe out there!
A group of us were motorcycle camping on Skyline Drive. After leaving the campground, about 2 miles down the road, the fog was really thick and we could only see about 100 feet ahead.
We couldn’t make out any side roads, curves or the exits off the main road. Since I had a GPS on my bike, I took the lead, and zoomed the screen. Riding at about 15mph, I could see every turn and road coming up on the GPS. Found an exit and a mile or so later we were off the mountain and the fog was gone. That was a very nerve racking hour ride.
Glad you made it safely!
The most important thing is to maintain a 6-8 second eye lead time. That is your stopping distance. Check that the same way as following distance using the fixed point count off.
Thank you, Gail! I find glasses with amber lenses helpful in low-light conditions. I tend to wear them other than in bright sunlight (when I wear sunglasses with brown or gray or green lenses). I also found several comments by those below also very helpful, either as additions to your suggestions, or as amplifications of them. Thanks again and merry Christmas. 🙂
No way I’d drive the rv in fog! It’s a challenge in any vehicle but you’re very dependent on the responsibility of other drivers.
Just don’t do it. The most limiting weather I’ve been in was a West Texas dust storm. My vision was limited to the outside surface of the windshield upon which I watched the sand pile up into landscapes. Gone quickly, it was amazing and frightening all at the same time. It occurs to me that really thick fog is even more dangerous as it offers very limited visibility, just enough for some drivers to continue moving. We try to stay another day if the all-day weather is bad. We’ve never had anyone refuse us safe harbor before.