California Driver Handbook

Safe Driving Practices

Driving In The Fog

The best advice for driving in the fog is DON’T. You should consider postponing your trip until the fog clears. However, if you must drive, then drive slowly and use your low beam headlights. The light from the high beams will reflect back and cause glare.

Never drive with just your parking or fog lights.

Increase your following distance and be prepared to stop within the space you can see ahead. Avoid crossing or passing lanes of traffic unless absolutely necessary. Listen for traffic you can not see. Use your wipers and defroster as necessary for best vision.

If the fog becomes so thick that you can barely see, pull completely off the road. Do not continue driving until you can see better. Turn off your lights and keep your foot off the brake pedal or someone may see your taillights, think you are moving,

Driving In Darkness

Drive more slowly at night because you can not see as far ahead and you will have less time to stop for a hazard. Make sure you can stop within the distance lighted by your headlights.

Use your low beam headlights at night when it rains. Do not drive using only your parking lights.

Use your high beams whenever possible in open country or dark city streets, as long as it is not illegal. Do not blind other drivers with your high beam headlights. Dim your lights when necessary. If another driver does not dim his/her lights:

• Do not look directly into the oncoming headlights.
• Look toward the right edge of your lane.
• Watch the oncoming vehicle out of the corner of your eye.
• Do not try to “get back” at the other driver by keeping your bright lights on. If you do, both of you may be blinded.

When you drive at night, remember:

• Pedestrians and bicyclists are much harder to see at night, so stay alert for them.
• Motorcycles are also harder to see at night because most have only one taillight.
• More highway construction takes place at night. Reduce your speed in highway construction zones.
• When you leave a brightly-lit place, drive slowly until your eyes adjust to the darkness.
• Drive as far to the right as possible, when a vehicle with one light drives toward you. It could be a bicyclist or motorcyclist, but it could also be a vehicle with a missing headlight.

Driving In Rain or Snow

Many road pavements are the most slippery when it first starts to rain or snow because oil and dust have not yet washed away. Slow down at the first sign of rain, drizzle, or snow on the road. Turn on your windshield wipers, headlights, and defroster.

In a heavy rainstorm or snowstorm, you may not be able to see more than 100 feet ahead. When you can not see any farther than that, you can not safely drive faster than 30 mph. You may have to stop from time to time to wipe mud or snow off your windshield, headlights, and taillights.

If you drive in snowy areas, carry the correct number of chains and be sure they will fit your drive wheels. Learn how to put the chains on before you need to use them.

Driving In Hill Country

You never know what is on the other side of a steep hill or a sharp curve. When you come to a hill or curve, slow down so you can stop for any hazard. You must be going slowly enough to stop.

Any time your view is blocked by a hill or a curve, you should assume there is another vehicle ahead. Only pass the vehicle if a hill or curve is at least one-third of a mile away, because you need at least that much room to pass safely.

Do not drive on the left side of the road when coming to a curve or the top of a hill, because you can not see far enough ahead to know if it is safe to pass.

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