How to drive through mist

How to drive through mist

Denis Jjuuko stays out of Kampala. He is an early riser and has on several occasions had to drive through the early morning mist, especially on the stretch between Najjeera and Buwaate in Wakiso District.
A mist is a cloudy formation that is suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth’s surface. Usually, at worst case scenario, it totally obstructs visibility. Therefore, as Jjuuko advises, if you must drive through it take precaution, such as:

Park by the roadside
According to Jjuuko, only drive through the mist if “it is absolutely necessary.”
“At some point I had to park by the roadside because I could not see ahead. I waited for the skies to clear before I could continue,” he says.

Use head or fog lights
Jjuuko’s car has fog or mist lamps. “If I am to drive through the mist, I switch them on and the hazard lamps”.
This, he says, helps him to notify oncoming traffic of his presence on the road as well as see road signs and demarcations ahead. Apart from the fog lights, Jjuuko also switches on the interior heater to keep both the rare and front wind screens clear.

Stay in your lane
Edward Sendi, a resident of Entebbe, says in such circumstances, it is important to keep in your lane and avoid unnecessary swerving.
“You have to be alert not to collide with oncoming traffic. Turn on rear indicators so that you are not rammed into by road users behind you,” he advises.

Reduce speed
Whereas it is possible to clearly view the road on normal days, mist makes it a little difficult offering only partial visibility of the road.
Therefore, Charles Ssebambulidde, the public relations officer at the Police Traffic Directorate and Enforcement, says it is important to drive slowly.

Use wipers
According to Ssebambulidde, during misty days drops of waters drip the windscreen and will require the use of wipers to clear them.
“The more mist droplets come in contact with the windscreen, the faster your wipers should be adjusted,” he says.

Make use of road signs
Whatever the situation, road signs are an important aspect of driving but many people ignore them, especially those cautioning drivers on speed limit.
“This is risky, especially where there is mist. If a road sign reads that you should not drive above 50 kilometres per hour, why abuse it and do otherwsie?” Ssebambulidde argues.