Most parts of North India is experiencing intense cold weather, and dense fog. Driving in such conditions can be downright treacherous. The drivers and passengers of 12 cars and SUVs found this out the hard way as the collided into each other due to dense fog on the Lucknow-Agra expressway. The massive pile-up led to many passengers from the vehicles involved, getting injured. As the video below shows, a couple of Mahindra Scorpio SUVs have been completely mangled in the pile-up, indicating how serious the crash was. Miraculously, nobody died.
Additional Superintendent of Police Ambrish Bhadauria said,
Pile-up of around a dozen vehicles took place early this morning on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Jogikot village under Bangarmau police station. Around a dozen people have sustained injuries in the accident. The injured persons were administered first aid at the community health centre in Bangarmau, and were subsequently sent home.
Such multi-vehicle pile-ups caused due to poor visibility are common in Northern India during the winter months. It’s advisable to avoid road travel when visibility becomes poor. If you have no option than to travel in foggy conditions, make sure that you follow the tips listed below. It could save your life.
Here are some life-saving TIPS for driving in fog
- Night-driving is a no-no – The effect of fog increases greatly at night Visibility further drops due to the darkness. Headlamp of oncoming vehicles blinds drivers more during foggy conditions, making driving even more dangerous.
- Use fog lamps while on the move, not hazard lamps. Most people turn on their hazard lamps during heavy fog. It is a BIG mistake. Hazard lamps are supposed to be used only when the car is a standstill. Hazard lamps confuse other drivers on the road who cannot make out if the car is standstill or moving. Also, use low beams in combination with fog lamps for best visibility during foggy conditions. Lights which are positioned closer to the road help to see better during the foggy conditions.
- ALWAYS use hazard lamps when your vehicle needs to be parked at the side of the road. This is applicable even during accidents. Get out of the car quickly after an accident, but not before you scan your surroundings for oncoming vehicles. If you have to stay inside the vehicle, keep the seat belts on.
- Drive slow during foggy conditions. Restricted visibility means you cannot look beyond a certain point. Cutting down the speed will give you enough time to perform any emergency braking manoeuvres if the need arises. Simply pull over to the side of the road if you can’t see anything ahead.
- Follow lane markings. If you can’t avoid driving in foggy conditions, the best way to know the road bends and follow the road is to follow the lane markings. If there are no lane-markings on the road, follow the divider or the edge of the road to figure which way to steer.
- If you need to park your car on the side of the road, make sure that you are away from the tarmac and parked away from the moving traffic. Switch on your hazard lamps, and if you’re sitting inside the car, you can keep the headlamps on the low beam or parking lamp mode to make sure that the brake lamps are on.