A weather alert was issued by the National Weather Service on Tuesday at 9:19 p.m. for dense fog until Wednesday at 3 a.m. The alert is for Coffee, Jeff Davis, Bacon, Appling, Wayne, Atkinson, Pierce, Brantley, Echols, Clinch, Camden, Ware and Charlton counties.
"Patchy dense fog is developing behind a frontal boundary across inland Southeast Georgia and is likely to become more widespread during the overnight hours with local visibilities of one quarter mile or less. Use your low beam headlights and make sure to leave plenty of distance between the vehicle in front of you," says the NWS.
Guidance from the NWS for navigating foggy conditions
If you must venture out in foggy conditions, keep these safety tips from the NWS in mind:
Reduce speed:
• Slow down and allocate extra travel time to reach your destination safely.
Visibility matters:
• Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights. If you have fog lights, use them.
Avoid high-beams:
• Refrain from using high-beam lights, as they create glare, making it more difficult for you to see what’s ahead of you on the road.
Maintain safe gaps:
• Maintain a significant following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifts in traffic patterns.
Stay in your lane:
• Use the road's lane markings as a guide to staying in the correct lane.
Visibility near zero:
• In situations of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a secure location, such as a nearby business's parking lot, to pull over and come to a stop.
No parking options:
• If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Once you come to a stop, turn off all lights except your hazard flashing lights, set the emergency brake, and take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated so that other drivers don't mistakenly run into you.
By adhering to these precautions from the NWS, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the likelihood of accidents and ensuring your personal safety.
Source: The National Weather Service
