This short note summarizes the relevant aspects for a decision concerning the fog lamp use regulation. Most motorway accidents in the Netherlands took place in fog conditions in the early morning hours. The safety problem in fog conditions is a serious problem caused by bad driving behaviour. The most important factors that explain the risk increase at motorways during fog conditions are the following: (1) The sight distance, that is large in normal conditions, becomes very short during fog; (2) Particularly during local fog, sudden changes in speed patterns occur, while there is almost no preview; and (3) the driving routine built up day by day is not adequate in fog conditions anymore. Fog lamp regulation is one of the direct measures to be taken in order to reduce risk during fog. Both the use and configuration of fog lamps are considered. Regulations should not be restricted to the installation of fog lamps, but must be combined with regulations for their use, and the speed and following behaviour during their use. It is questionable, whether or not the fog problem can be solved completely by giving information to the drivers.
Samenvatting