Cops advise motorists to take precautions during foggy conditions

Hyderabad: Police on Wednesday advised motorists, especially those travelling on highways and roads on the city outskirts, to take precautionary measures in view of thick fog causing accidents due to reduced visibility and meteorological officials issuing a yellow alert in this regard.

The advisory came after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for the city due to dense fog and mist conditions, and further forecasted fog or mist in early hours.

The Cyberabad traffic police advised commuters to postpone night or early morning travel to late morning to avoid accidents due to poor visibility. The police also fixed reflector studs and signage at deep curves on all roads, particularly on the outskirts, to alert drivers.

They advised drivers to maintain minimum speed and also ensure that the vehicles, particularly the lights, were in good condition. “Most people ensure the headlights are working, but ignore the tail lamps. Tail lamps are very important while driving in foggy conditions to ensure your vehicle visibility for vehicles coming from behind,” a senior traffic official said.

The traffic police also shared a video of a foggy road on X. “A Glimpse of Fog-Enshrouded Roads in Moinabad. Navigate fog with care. Drive safe, use headlights, and reach your destination securely. #SafetyFirst (sic),” they wrote.

Dheerendra Samineni, a Hyderabad-based road safety expert, said that the most common mistake by drivers in foggy conditions was switching on hazard lights while driving.

“Only use low beam, as high beam reflects in foggy conditions and distracts visibility. Drivers should also focus on the lane. They can keep left if there are clear markings on the road or there are sub roads. But if the markings on the left are not clear, they should drive near the median or towards where the road marking is visible,” he said.

Bikers should be more careful and ensure that they can see other vehicles and also ensure they are spotted by other vehicles. “They can fix reflective tapes on their bikes and also helmets. Foggier the condition, slower the speed,” he said.

Traffic police advisory

• Drive/Ride at half the permitted speed.
• Do not overtake.
• Affix reflective tapes to bikes and helmets.
• For heavy vehicles, reflective tapes should be red in the rear, yellow or orange on sides and white in front
• As per international standards, the colour positioning will convey the vehicle’s position to other commuters, particularly at U-turns or curves.