When thick mist descends over Krugersdorp – drive with caution
Four bumper bashes were reported in Krugersdorp alone due to the heavy mist.
Krugersdorpers were greeted by a thick blanket of mist when they stepped outside their houses on the morning of Friday, 27 January.
Sat24, a live broadcasting weather website, predicted that the mist would only lift a few hours later.
Early on Friday morning, Quick Response Services reported that four bumper bashing accidents took place in Krugersdorp alone, due to the mist.
They issued a statement warning drivers that the speed limit may be too fast for driving in misty conditions and gave some tips to drivers about driving in the mist:
1. Always drive with your headlights on during misty conditions.
2. Don’t use high beam lights during misty conditions.
3. If you see the traffic in front of you is standing still, tap on your brake pedal to get the attention of the driver behind you.
4. Increase your following distance by at least 4–5 metres or three seconds.
5. Never stop in the middle of the road.
6. Roads can be slick, so reduce your speed significantly when driving in mist.
7. At a junction with limited visibility, stop, open the window, and listen for traffic. When you are sure it is safe to emerge, do so positively and do not hesitate in a position that puts you directly in the path of approaching vehicles.
8. If you do pull over, make sure your vehicle is completely off the road, and keep some lights on to increase visibility.
9. Use the edge of the road as a guide rather than the centre line, to avoid driving into oncoming traffic.
10. Signal your intentions early.
Related articles:
Check cloud conditions to predict bad weather
Top tips for rainy weather driving
Be more cautious when driving in wet weather
