On Sunday at 3:11 a.m. the National Weather Service released a dense fog advisory in effect until 9 a.m. for Etowah, Calhoun, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Elmore, Macon, Lee and Russell counties.

The weather service states to be ready for, “Visibility less than one quarter of a mile in dense fog.”

“Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous,” describes the weather service. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.”

Fog safety: Tips from the weather service for safe travels

When a dense fog advisory is issued for your area, it means that widespread dense fog has developed and visibility can plummet to a quarter-mile or less. These conditions pose challenges for travel, so exercise extra caution on the road or consider postponing your trip if possible.

If driving through fog becomes inevitable, remember these safety guidelines:

Reduce speed:

Slow down and allow 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 available, employ your fog lights.

Avoid high-beams:

Refrain from using high-beam headlights, as they create glare that impairs your visibility on the road.

Keep a safe distance:

Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.

Stay in your lane:

Use the road’s lane markings as a guide to remaining in the correct lane.

Zero visibility protocol:

In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and 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 weather service, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the likelihood of accidents and ensuring your personal safety.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.