Low temperatures and the appearance of persistent fog will mark, according to meteorological forecasts, the departure of 2024 and the entry into the year 2025. To the necessary precautionary measures when driving, we must therefore also add the need to circulate with the correct lighting in our vehicle.
In addition to having the lighting system in good condition, it is necessary to know the DGT regulations, since if we use the lights incorrectly we can receive a fine, in addition to causing risk on the road by dazzling other drivers or making ourselves invisible to the rest. of public road users.
Fog lights are a useful tool for improving visibility in adverse conditions, but they must be used correctly and responsibly. Not having fog lights on when visibility conditions make them necessary is considered a serious infraction punishable by 200 euros, although without loss of points. On the contrary, carrying them when it is not necessary is a minor offense that entails a fine of up to 100 euros.
The DGT (General Directorate of Traffic) has a series of recommendations on the use of fog lights to avoid fines and ensure safe driving in low visibility conditions. If we encounter a fog bank, there are several rules that we must not forget: never stop on a shoulder, turn on the fog lights, reduce speed considerably and drive following the longitudinal markings of the road. If the car stops due to a breakdown and there is no choice but to stop, have the occupants get out of the car and stand on the other side of the guardrail and signal the stop properly and at a greater distance than normal.
You have to use the fog lights in thick fog. When visibility is significantly reduced, these lights improve visibility and make your vehicle more visible to other drivers.
They are also mandatory in conditions of torrential and intense rain, in the middle of heavy snow, or in situations where visibility is reduced by environmental factors such as dust or smoke.
front lights
Front fog lights are not mandatory, but can be useful in low visibility conditions. However, excessive use can dazzle other drivers. If you do not have this type of lighting, the low beam is the most recommended, as it illuminates the road just in front of the vehicle, avoiding glare caused by suspended water droplets. The low beam should be used whenever visibility is reduced by fog, heavy rain, snow or any other similar cause.
In general, it is not advisable to use high beam in foggy conditions as water droplets in the air cause the light to reflect and scatter, creating a “mirror” effect that further reduces visibility. Additionally, it can dazzle other drivers. According to the DGT “in fog, the desire to see better may lead us to turn on the high beams, but it will be counterproductive, since the high beams bounce off the fog bank and will dazzle us without achieving the objective.”
Rear fog lamps
However, the rear fog lights are mandatory in all vehicles and must be activated together with the position lights and the dipped or high beam lights.
The rear fog lights are very dazzling if there is no fog on the road
Its main function is to make your vehicle visible to drivers behind you. It is activated when the fog is really thick and does not allow us to see anything of what is happening around. This indicator does not come on in the rain and must be disconnected as soon as the affected area is passed, otherwise it will greatly disturb other road users.
If visibility is good, you should not use the fog lights, as they can dazzle other drivers. In light rain or light fog conditions, low beam headlights are usually sufficient.
If the fog is so thick that you cannot see further than a few meters, the safest thing to do is to stop the vehicle in a safe place and wait for conditions to improve.
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