Law, Health and Safety
Insufficient road visibility
Insufficient visibility greatly influences the behavior of the driver at the wheel. Due to unfavorable conditions, the most terrible accidents with human casualties occur, therefore every driver should be prepared and remember how to behave in such situations.
What it is?
Insufficient visibility of the road is a condition where the driver can not distinguish obstacles or ahead of standing objects from a distance of less than 300 meters due to any external factors. These factors can be attributed primarily to adverse weather conditions, such as fog, rain, snow, smoke, bright sun, twilight or darkness and so on.
It is worth noting that the distance of 300 meters is determined for no reason. The fact is that it is 300 meters that is considered to be the braking distance of a car that moves at a speed of 90 kilometers per hour. The road surface is wet, with a low coefficient of adhesion.
How to move in low visibility
Conditions of inadequate visibility can be divided into 4 main criteria. To each of them rules are written (see the table). If you adhere to them, then the movement will be safe.
| Criterion | rules |
| Movement during heavy rain | In the pouring rain, the grip of the wheels with the road decreases and the braking distance of the car becomes larger. The greatest danger is the movement during the rain at high speed. In this case, the water is not "poured" into the tire protector. With one wrong steering movement, the driver may lose control. The best way out of this situation will be the applied engine braking technique |
| Movement during the fog | The Inspector of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate is strongly recommended that even experienced drivers stop the traffic during a strong fog. If this is not possible, then reduce the speed and switch on the dipped beam with the fog lights. It is also recommended to lower the driver's glass and listen to all sounds. Overtake and stop on the roadside is strictly prohibited |
| Movement in the bright sun | Bright sunlight, especially in the morning and in the evening, significantly reduces the visibility of the road. Drivers in bright light do not distinguish between traffic light signals and are poorly oriented to unregulated pedestrian crossings. It is not recommended to use sunglasses. It will be much more effective to use sun visors |
| Movement during other adverse conditions | To such conditions most often refer to loss of the first snow, blizzard or twilight. During the fall of the first snow, the driver must immediately replace the summer tires with winter tires. During the blizzard - observe the speed limit and keep the distance. At night, it is recommended to use the high beam. However, this is not possible in all situations. If the main beam can not be switched on, the use of fog lamps, a reduction in speed and increased concentration of attention |
Correct speed selection
When the weather is good and the road surface is dry, the driver is allowed to move at any speed, but only within the permitted limits. When there is insufficient visibility of the road, it is necessary to choose the correct speed mode.
There are no specific recommendations as to how fast the driver should move in conditions of poor visibility. The person behind the wheel should independently choose a safe high-speed mode, but inspectors are strongly recommended to take into account the braking distance of the car when the vehicle stops abruptly.
Rules of traffic in conditions of insufficient visibility
We have already considered what is the lack of visibility of the road. Traffic regulations clearly describe the state when special care must be taken, but it is not always possible to warn the driver with signs. Usually such road signs are installed near the bridges across the river, where the fog is most often.
If an inexperienced driver is going to move over long distances, then it is strongly recommended that he thoroughly study points 19.1-19.8 of the SDA. There it is accurately indicated that if the speed limit is violated and inattention at the wheel during insufficient visibility, the driver will not be able to respond promptly to an emergency situation.
The difference between insufficient and limited visibility
Any driver should feel the difference between the concepts of "lack of visibility" and "limited visibility".
Limited visibility implies that there are permanent or temporary obstacles on the road. These include mountains, buildings, buildings or sharp turns. Also there are temporary barriers, namely the stopped transport, road works. Remembering this, you can easily discern when there is insufficient visibility on the road, and when - limited.
Simply put, under limited visibility is meant a physical barrier, which prevents a normal survey. Despite the fact that such obstacles are almost always permanent, the driver must comply with the speed limit and be very careful at the wheel.
How to behave in conditions of low visibility?
When there is insufficient visibility on the road, it is strongly recommended to use fog lights. It is advisable to pay special attention to this option when buying a car. If the model is not produced with fog lights, then it is desirable to equip them with a car. Sometimes drivers replace DRL with fog lights.
Also, if visibility is insufficient, the speed should be reduced. It is better to move slowly, but confidently. If possible, include all external lighting devices. The ideal option would be the high beam included.
Do not forget about increased care. In conditions of insufficient visibility, the driver quickly becomes tired, so it is necessary to occasionally rest your eyes. Help gymnastics for the eyes or temporary stop on the well-viewed sections of the road. On the trails it is desirable to stop only in specially designated places for this purpose. Usually they are protected from the road by any obstacles.
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