Millions Warned of Hazardous Driving Conditions in Texas
Dense fog is expected to blanket parts of Texas until Thursday morning, causing poor visibility and dangerous driving conditions, the National Weather Service (NWS) has warned.
Fog Impact and Areas Affected
The NWS indicated that several counties across Texas could experience dense fog reducing visibility to less than a quarter of a mile. This drop in visibility is predicted to impact the Thursday morning commute significantly.
Safety Risks and Statistics
According to the Department of Transportation, low visibility caused by fog contributes to more than 38,700 vehicle crashes each year. In response, the NWS has urged drivers to exercise extra caution.
NWS Driving Safety Recommendations
- Reduce speed when driving through fog.
- Use low beam headlights instead of high beams.
- Keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.
- In extremely dense fog, turn on hazard lights and pull over safely.
- If stopped on the roadside or hard shoulder, turn off all lights except hazards, engage the hand brake, and wait until the fog clears.
“A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect for most of east Texas through 9 a.m. Thursday as patchy, dense fog will lead to reduced visibility overnight and on the morning commute into work and school.” – Brad Hlozek, Chief Meteorologist, KTRE-TV ABC 9
The NWS forecasts visibility could drop to a quarter of a mile or less from overnight Wednesday through Thursday morning in affected areas.
Author’s summary: Dense fog across Texas is creating hazardous driving conditions, prompting urgent safety warnings to prevent accidents and protect commuters.