The festive season has been shrouded in fog across parts of the UK, causing a bit of a headache for those travelling to see loved ones.
With reduced visibility on the roads, it’s crucial for safety that drivers use their lights correctly but, according to driving instructor Annie Winterburn, many are making a “dangerous” error with their fog lights.
In a TikTok video under her handle theorytestpractice, she explains that there’s a significant difference between driving in thick fog and misty conditions.
Over footage showing mist, Annie advises: “It’s misty, it’s not thick fog, so you shouldn’t have fog lights on. You don’t need fog lights on unless visibility is 100 metres or less.”
She adds: “You can see that far, you don’t need fog lights, but what you do need is your dipped headlights. Your dipped headlights are your normal car lights.
“If you don’t have your dipped headlights on other road users can’t see you as clearly and, if other road users can’t see you, then they might pull out in front of you. So, dipped headlights when it’s misty, fog lights when it’s thick fog and you can’t see more than 100 metres away.”
Since the video was posted, it’s racked up over 1,000 views and prompted hundreds of comments. Motorists have been sharing their varied opinions on the use of fog lights, with one conceding that some drivers seem to keep them on “all year long”.
One person remarked: “I have automatic lights and DRLs, so mine come on when the sensors detect darkness or visibility issues.”
Another observed: “It was foggy today, and the amount of people who didn’t have any fog lights on at all was concerning.”
A third chimed in with: “Totally agree with this. Far too many think ‘a bit of fog (or even heavy rain), I need fog lights’, when they actually increase the possibility of accidents because those behind can’t see the brake.”
Meanwhile, one more added: “A little bit of fog and people can’t wait to put their fog lights on as it’s not often they get the chance. They are embarrassing.”