Driver Safety in Minnesota: Navigating Your Foggy Early Morning Commute

Driver Safety in Minnesota: Navigating your Foggy Early Morning Commute

Foggy commutes aren’t just slow—they can also be dangerous. Both new and experienced drivers can be flummoxed when they encounter thick fog, even if they’ve driven in that type of weather before. With any severe weather, you need to exercise extreme caution. Reduced visibility can lead to major accidents, so be vigilant in order to protect your life and the lives of others on the road.

If it’s possible to avoid driving in the fog, it might be best to put your trip off until the mist lifts. If that’s not possible, however, here are some tips for driver safety in Minnesota to help you out:

• Minimize distractions inside the car: When you’re driving in thick fog, distractions can be deadly. Turn down the radio, and ask other passengers to keep their talking to a minimum. Avoid talking on your cell phone (perhaps even put it in the backseat or glove compartment to keep the temptation away).
• Slow down and don’t use cruise control: Reduced visibility also limits your reaction time, as you won’t be able to see what vehicles far ahead of you are doing. That’s why a slower speed is safer. If someone suddenly brakes in front of you, you’ll have more time to react. Turning off cruise control can help you gain more control over the vehicle.
• Listen for emergency vehicles: You might want to roll your window down in addition to keeping audio distractions to a minimum.
• Always use your low beams: Never use your high beams in the fog! The light will reflect off of the moisture in the air and reduce visibility even further.
• Use reflectors and the right side of the road as a guide: When the fog has set in, you can keep yourself on course by using these guides to stay in your lane.
• Use caution when pulling off the road: If the fog becomes too thick to drive, use extreme caution when pulling over. Other drivers may have a hard time seeing your vehicle to avoid it. Signal early to warn other drivers, and pull as far off the road as humanly possible. When you’re a safe distance away from traffic, you can then take the opportunity to put on your four-way hazard lights. This will help make your car visible to other drivers.

With the foggy season coming up, we hope your driving is safe. Remember: getting to your destination is far more important than how long it takes. Stay safe on the road!

Driver safety in Minnesota extends to the pros

Safe driving benefits us all, including the drivers at K-Way Express, Inc. We create customized transportation solutions for companies of all sizes. We are a fully licensed transportation brokerage company working with over 700 carriers that mirror our customer service standards. For over 60 years, we’ve served our Minnesota clients with excellent customer care. Whether you need dry vans, refrigerated trailers, flatbeds or other specialized equipment, K-Way Express, Inc. is ready to meet your needs. Call us today to find out more!