According to ADAC, it is particularly dangerous that fog often appears suddenly. In general, the automobile club recommends increasing the following distance in fog, reducing speed, and turning on the lights.
When is visibility significantly impaired?
According to case law, there is always a significant impairment of visibility when on motorways visibility is less than 150 meters. Then one is obliged to switch on dipped headlights.
On other roads outside built-up areas this applies when visibility falls below about 100 meters. And in urban areas the limit is around 60 meters.
When to use fog lights, when to use low beam headlights?
ADAC experts point out that it is sensible for one's own visibility to switch on the fog light, as it distributes the light low across the road and thus
illuminates it better.
It can be used when fog, snowfall or rain significantly hinders visibility. But as soon as the visibility conditions improve, one should switch the headlight off or to low beam.
Nebelschlussleuchte
The rear fog light may only be switched on according to ADAC when the visibility distance is less than 50 meters. It is intended to warn the following traffic and to be visible early. But as visibility improves, it must be switched off again—otherwise the following traffic will be blinded.
If you drive with rear fog light on when visibility is more than 50 meters, this could result in a 20 euro fine, the automobile club explains. There is no obligation to switch on rear fog lights and headlights.
Kein Fernlicht bei Nebel
Most modern vehicles have
daytime running lights that switch on automatically with the ignition. However, daytime running lights are usually not sufficient in autumn and especially in fog, as visibility is often poor even during daytime and the lights are only active at the front of the vehicle.
Often the light automation does not respond in fog, rain or snowfall and does not automatically switch to low beam. Therefore it is advisable to manually operate the light switch even during daytime.
Moreover, driving with low beam or optionally with fog lights in poor visibility is also required during the day, according to the automobile club. However, in fog one should refrain from high beams, as they worsen visibility.
Low beam preferred
Low beam is then rather recommended. ADAC advises turning on low beam early, because
then the rear lights are also activated. In addition, daytime running lights glare more for oncoming traffic in fog and poor visibility than the low beam.
Mindestabstand
Of course, speed should also be adjusted to the visibility conditions. For a safe drive, the distance to the vehicle in front must also be observed accordingly. The minimum distance in meters should, according to ADAC, correspond to the speed in kilometers per hour.
At 50 km/h, this would thus be a distance of at least 50 meters to the vehicle in front. In general, one should only drive at a speed that one can maintain within a visible range.
At visibility below 50 meters, the legislator allows only a maximum speed of 50 km/h. And only then may the rear fog light be
