Foggy conditions in Homestead and across South Florida can happen for a number of reasons. When they do occur, poor visibility can lead to car accidents and injuries. If you encounter foggy conditions make sure that you:
- Stay in if you don’t need to head out: The best way to stay safe in the fog is not to drive in it. If you don’t have to drive, wait until the fog passes. Even if you take all precautions, fog still counts as a danger.
- Stay focused: If you do need to drive in fog, put away all distractions. This is the time to completely focus on driving so you can drive as safely as possible.
- Listen for clues: If the fog is thick, roll down your windows so you can hear traffic around you.
- Know when to pull over: If visibility is very poor, find a place to park away from travel lanes. Look for a safe spot, keep your flashers on, and wait until the fog lifts before proceeding.
- Slow down: Even in relatively light fog where you can still see cars in front of you, slow down. It will take you longer to see conditions up ahead so you need the extra response time.
- Turn on your headlights: Never use high beam headlights since they will reflect and cause glare. Your regular headlights, however, will help other drivers see you.
- Turn on your defrosters and windshield wipers: Moisture can collect on your windshield and can make it harder for you to see. Keep your windshield very clean and clear so your visibility is as good as possible.
- Give yourself extra room: In addition to slowing down, leave more distance between yourself and the car in front of you so you have more breaking time in case you need to stop suddenly.
- Keep looking: Even in poor conditions, don’t just follow the car in front of you. Keep scanning around you for clues. Use the lines on the right side of the road to guide you.
- Avoid cruise control: Maintain control of the car so you can react quickly.
- Brake gently: If you need to slow down in fog, keep in mind you need to do so gradually so you’re not in a rear-end shunt accident. Check your mirrors and brake slowly so the cars behind you can see your brake lights and have time to respond.
If you are in an accident in fog, you may still have a legal claim. If a driver caused a rear-end accident because they did not adjust their driving to the weather conditions, they may be liable for the accident.
To find out whether you have a claim, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Homestead car accident attorney. Our legal team has more than 60 years of combined experience and we have already secured tens of millions of dollars on behalf of plaintiffs in the South Florida area. Our offices in Miami, Homestead, and Hollywood serve the entire South Florida area.