On Wednesday at 2 a.m. a dense fog advisory was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until 8 a.m. for Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Dallas, Autauga, Lowndes, Elmore, Montgomery, Macon, Bullock, Lee, Russell, Pike and Barbour counties.

The weather service adds, “Visibility less than one-quarter mile in dense fog.”

“Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous,” explains the weather service. “If driving, slow down, use your low beam 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 in fog becomes unavoidable, remember these safety tips:

Moderate your 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 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 generous following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifting traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

• To ensure you are staying in the correct lane, use the road’s lane markings as a guide.

Zero visibility strategy:

• 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 no designated parking area is available, pull your vehicle as far off the road as possible. Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.

By adhering to these weather service precautions, 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.