Strong gusts of wind, fog, smoke, and a sand storm can make it difficult to see. 

How Can You Minimize Risk in Other Hazardous Weather Conditions? 

You must learn how to manage risks posed by other weather hazards such as:

• Fog or Smog

Scattered patches of thick fog may occur so suddenly that your field of vision is cut without warning. If the humidity is high enough, moisture can accumulate both inside and outside your windshield, further reducing your already limited visibility. Turn on your windshield wipers and defogger as necessary. 

Your low beam headlights are essential when driving in fog, both to help you see and to enable others to see you. If the fog is thick you may want to switch on your emergency flashers, to increase your ability to be seen. 

Resist the temptation to put on your high beams. The small droplets of water in fog reflect light back into your eyes making visibility much poorer with high beams than with low beams. To better manage time and space when driving in fog and industrial smoke, reduce speed, increase your following distance, and remain alert for sudden movements. 

If fog is very dense, signal to the right and pull well off of the roadway and wait for conditions to improve. Do not stop on the road.

Sand and Dust

In some parts of the country, sand and dust cause serious visibility problems making it all but impossible to see. This severe decrease in visibility greatly increases the risk of a collision. 

If possible avoid driving in sand and dust storms. If you’re caught in such a storm, signal, pull off the road, turn on your emergency flashers and wait for the storm to pass. If you must drive, use your low beam headlights and proceed slowly and very cautiously.

Wind

Depending on the size and weight of the car you’re driving, high winds can be dangerous. A strong enough gust of wind can actually push a light weight car right out of its lane. Under windy conditions, reduce speed and grip the steering wheel firmly to maintain control of your car. Leave extra space between your car and nearby vehicles, especially those that are likely to be affected by the wind.

Be aware that nature is not the only source of wind as a powerful blast of wind occurs as any large vehicle speeds by you. Always allow as much distance as possible to the side between your car and a passing large vehicle by hugging the right edge of the road. This way you can minimize the force of the resulting wind gust.