The fog season safety checklist every driver should follow

It was one of those North Indian winter mornings dense, quiet, almost deceptive. Mr. Kumar had driven this road to work hundreds of times. Same route. Same speed. Same confidence. He never saw the vehicle ahead brake. The accident wasn’t dramatic. No headlines. No sirens for hours. But the aftermath was familiar to many drivers this winter like vehicle damage, delays, paperwork, and the slow realisation that fog doesn’t just reduce visibility. It tests preparedness.

In 2025, fog season once again reminded drivers that safety on winter roads isn’t about driving skill alone. It’s about readiness.

Why Fog Season Is More Than a Weather Problem

Every winter, low-visibility mornings blanket large parts of North India - Delhi NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan. And with them comes a predictable spike in road incidents.

According to transport and insurance data by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways – Road Accident Data, the accident claims rise sharply during peak fog months, driven by rear-end collisions, side-swipes, and sudden braking incidents caused by limited visibility.

Fog doesn’t create recklessness. It magnifies small lapses like dim lights, missing documents, delayed reaction time. And when accidents happen in fog, the difference between a smooth claim and a stressful one often comes down to basics.

What Fog Reveals About How We Drive

Most drivers believe they are careful. Few regularly check whether their car is fog-ready.

In winter, visibility can drop to a few metres. At that point:

• Headlights matter more than speed
• Warning tools matter more than horns
• Documentation matters as much as driving discipline

The Fog Season Safety Checklist That Actually Matters

This isn’t about over-preparation. It’s about practical readiness—the kind that protects lives and claims.

1. Lights: Your First Line of Defence

• Ensure headlights, tail lamps, brake lights, and fog lamps are functional
• Avoid high beams in dense fog as they reflect light back and reduce visibility
• Clean lenses regularly; winter grime dulls light output

In fog, being seen is as important as seeing.

2. Windscreen & Wipers: Clarity Is Non-Negotiable

• Replace worn-out wiper blades before winter peaks
• Use washer fluid suitable for cold mornings
• Keep defoggers functional inside fogging is just as dangerous

A clear windscreen buys reaction time.

3. Documents: Claims Begin With Paperwork

Keep these accessible not buried:

• Valid driving licence
• Registration certificate
• Insurance policy
• Pollution certificate

In fog-related incidents, documentation delays often become claim delays.

4. Warning Tools: Silent Saviours

• Reflective warning triangle
• Hazard lights in working condition
• Reflective jacket if stepping out on highways

In low visibility, these tools prevent secondary accidents, often the most severe kind.

5. Dashcams: The Quiet Game-Changer

Dashcams are no longer gadgets. They’re witnesses.

In fog-related accidents, video evidence increasingly plays a role in establishing sequence, speed, and liability, especially when visibility is questioned.

A dashcam doesn’t drive for you but it speaks for you when memory and visibility fail.

Why Fog Season Claims Are Often Complicated

Fog accidents rarely involve dramatic impact. They involve ambiguity.

• Who braked suddenly?
• Were hazard lights on?
• Was the vehicle visible?
• Was speed appropriate for conditions?

In such cases, preparedness strengthens credibility. And credibility smoothens claims. Insurance isn’t just about damage. It’s about clarity.

The Bigger Lesson Fog Season Teaches Us Every Year

Winter fog is predictable. Accidents during fog are not unavoidable but they are preventable. What separates a stressful incident from a manageable one isn’t luck. It’s preparation.

(Views are personal; the author is CEO at BajajCapital Insurance Broking Ltd)