Can I use my fog lights in the rain?
Fog lights should only be used in the fog when visibility drops below 100 meters (328 feet) which is roughly the length of a football pitch.
You can only use front or rear fog lights if it is difficult to see other vehicles or objects due to poor weather conditions—such as heavy rain or fog. You must not use fog lights in clear weather conditions, whether it is day or night.
Low beam headlights / dipped headlights
Low beams are essential when driving at night, but they have also been proved to improve visibility and safety when used during the day, for example during adverse weather (rain, snow, sleet or fog) or just after sunrise and just before sunset.
NEVER drive using only your parking or fog lights. It's illegal and unsafe. Use rear fog lights if you have them when visibility is less than around 300 feet. Fog lights should be turned off when visibility is normal.
Fog lights must only be used if you cannot see more than 100 m in front of the vehicle, in dense fog or falling snow and night-time driving. Fog lights must be switched off when visibility improves. Why is it illegal to have fog lights on during normal visibility?
The NSW Centre for Road Safety advises that under normal conditions, fog lights may “dazzle” other drivers. As such, in NSW, a driver is only permitted to use their fog lights if driving in fog, mist or another atmospheric condition that restricts visibility.
You must not use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rules 226), as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights - you must switch them off when visibility improves.
These extra two lights do make it much more difficult to see when they are coming at you at night. A: Yes, it is legal if the lights are within the proper height and aimed within the legal range. I recommend that fog lights be used only in low-visibility settings, as some of them can be hard on the other drivers' eyes.
Most modern lights with a rating above IP44 are waterproof.
Christmas lights with this rating are safe to be used outdoors and are protected from rain and water.
You must only use your fog lights in fog or rain, or when other conditions limit your vision, such as smoke or dust. Once conditions improve and you can see more clearly, you must switch the fog lights off. If your vehicle does not have fog lights, you can use your low beam headlights and hazard lights in fog or rain.
Which headlights do you use in inclement weather?
Driving in fog, rain and heavy snow calls for the use of your low beam lights. The downward directed light is best for cutting through these low-visibility situations. You might think that your high beams would help improve your sight lines, but the light actually gets reflected back to you, causing a glare.
Fog lights should only be used in the fog, when visibility drops below 100 metres (328 feet) which is roughly the length of a football pitch, this is stated by the Highway Code (rule 226). Not using your fog lights when appropriate could impact upon the safety of yourself and those around you when driving.
Front fog lamps are for use during poor weather situations where visibility is reduced, like in misty, rainy, foggy, or dusty weather. Since headlights can be too bright in low visibility situations and reflect into the driver's eyes, fog lights are safer and more preferred by many drivers.
Front and rear fog lights can blind drivers when used in clear conditions. They can also cause a dazzling reflection when driving on wet roads by creating a pool of light on the ground immediately in front of a vehicle, which a driver can have difficulty seeing past.
Driving with your fog lights on when it is not foggy is illegal. Make sure you switch them off as soon as the fog clears. Fog lights can dazzle other road users, while rear fog lights can obscure your own brake lights, preventing the vehicle behind you from seeing when you're braking.
“Your fog lights are designed to assist you when you're dealing with inclement weather, especially fog. They are not designed to illuminate a roadway with the distance that your headlights are designed for.”
Yes, it is illegal to drive with fog lights on. Fog lights are brighter and more powerful than standard headlights. Using them under normal weather conditions can glare and dazzle other road users, which can be dangerous.
According to the Highway Code, you should use your headlights when visibility is below 100 metres (328 feet). Use fog lights only when visibility is seriously reduced and below 100 metres (328 feet). Beware of other drivers not using headlights.
Yellow lights are the best among fog light colors because they hit your retina in a way that enables you to focus on the road. Staring constantly at white light can frustrate the eye, and darker colors like blue and green have limited wavelength.
Fog lights can be used in conjunction with your headlights in low-visibility conditions.
Should I put my lights on in the rain?
Turn on the full beam headlights when the road ahead is clear, but do not use them in fog or heavy rain, as the beam pattern creates a wall of light instead of illuminating the road ahead. When the weather gets particularly bad and visibility is significantly reduced, you can rely on fog lights.
Early studies showed that yellow light was less dazzling to other drivers, making it a safer colour for headlights. Yellow light also cuts through rain, snow and fog better than white or blue light.
Fog lights are designed to cut through fog and mist, unlike full beam lights that are reflected by fog. They usually come in two sets, front and back, with the switches coloured coded: amber for rear fog lights and green for front fog lights.
New lighting technology is the main reason that fog lights are starting to become passé on new cars. It's more common to find models equipped with lidar, infrared sensors, and daytime running lights, says Skwarczek.
The danger of an LED light being exposed to water is when it's fully submerged. Electricity flows through the bulb, and because water is a conductor, it's possible for electrocution to occur.
Using these Christmas lights outdoors can cause them to stop working or short-circuit if they come in direct contact with water. Fairy lights are most often for indoor use only.
Electric meteor rainfall string lights create a magical cascading effect indoors or out. These decorative tubes of dramatic white LED lights cascade from the top of the tube to the bottom. The 8 tubes are 12 in. long with 17 lights per tube (136 total lights) on a 150 in.
Drive Slowly
The last thing you want to do is drive fast over watery roads. If you do have to cross water on the road enter at 1-2mph then drive at 3-4mph to avoid engine flooding.
You should reduce your speed by 1/3 on wet roads and by 1/2 or more on snow packed roads (i.e., if you would normally be traveling at a speed of 60 mph on dry pavement, then on a wet road you should reduce your speed to 40 mph, and on a snow-packed road you should reduce your speed to 30 mph).
According to Defensive Driving, a rule of thumb to follow is to decrease your speed by a third during wet conditions. For example, if you are driving in rainy weather and the speed limit says 70 mph, then your adjusted speed should be 46 to 47 mph.
Should I use high beams in heavy rain?
Never use your high-beam headlights while you are driving in fog, rain, or snow. In such conditions, they can make your vision even worse. High beams will shine directly into the fog or precipitation, which will reflect the bright light back to you.
Use low beams in fog, snow, or heavy rain. Light from high beams will reflect back and cause glare. Remember, it is just as important to BE SEEN by other drivers as it is for YOU to see THEM.
In many cases, the high beams will still work when the regular headlights stop, but it's just not safe to drive around with your high beams potentially blinding other drivers.
Always use your headlights, but never your brights.
A major mistake people make while driving through fog is using the high beams. Fog is like a mist. It's made up of tiny water particles that will bounce light. Using the high beams will only make the situation worse as light bounces far too much.
Never use your high-beam lights. Using high beam lights causes glare, making it more difficult for you to see what's ahead of you on the road. Leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.
Fog lights are not to be used in place of your regular headlights—they are intended to be used with those beams to improve visibility. Fog lights aren't brighter, they're additional low beam lights that are located lower on your vehicle, below your regular headlights and typically mounted near your bumper.
Crank up the AC
You can then proceed to turn your car's AC to a colder temperature to match the temperature on the outside. This will cause the fog to vanish and is one of the best tips to defog car during rain.
Use the fog lights only when you have very low visibility, and don't forget to turn them off when the fog has lifted. Even though it may be legal, it can make visibility difficult for other drivers.
Condensation happens on the windshield because of the high humidity inside the vehicle, and the fogging is because of the temperature outside is colder than inside your vehicle. Think of how moisture that gathers on the outside of your drink, this is the same scenario.
Cold air, dry at the surface while rain is falling through it evaporates and causes the dew point to rise. This saturation forms fog.
What color is best for fog lights?
Yellow lights are the best among fog light colors because they hit your retina in a way that enables you to focus on the road. Staring constantly at white light can frustrate the eye, and darker colors like blue and green have limited wavelength.