HEAVY FOG CAUSES MASSIVE PILEUP

A "super fog" in Louisiana has caused a multi-car pileup on Interstate 55 near New Orleans, Louisiana, after severely lowering visibility, according to police. The crash, involving at least 158 vehicles, occurred on Monday morning due to heavy fog conditions, according to Louisiana State Police. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards confirmed the accident in a statement Monday. Seven fatalities have been confirmed and over 25 individuals were transported to area hospitals with varying degrees of injuries from critical to minor, according to Louisiana State Police.

“SUPER FOG”

The super fog was caused by smoke from marsh fires burning in the region combined with dense fog developing in the area early Monday morning bringing extremely low visibility. In some spots, visibility was near zero, creating dangerous driving conditions. Super fogs typically form when condensed water vapor mixes with the smoke and moisture released from damp organic material smoldering from a nearby fire, such as brush, leaves and trees, according to the National Weather Service. Visibility can be lowered to less than 10 feet as a result, according to the NWS. Super fogs can be especially dangerous when they develop near and over highways. The localized nature of the weather phenomenon means that visibility conditions can worsen rapidly within a very short distance, which can lead to a hazardous combination of sudden low to near-zero visibility and vehicles traveling at a high speed on a highway.  

Morning fog is not uncommon this time of the year for the region, but more than 86% of the state is currently battling extreme drought conditions, which is elevating fire danger. This could mean more instances of super fog in the coming days and weeks as cooler temperatures settle in, but the drought and wildfire risk persist.

ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY FOG NATIONWIDE

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, over 38,700 crashes annually are fog-related, resulting in over 600 fatalities and over 16,300 injuries. The single biggest cause of fog-related accidents is people driving too fast for the conditions they are in; if visibility is reduced, speed must be reduced as well. Fog can prevent drivers from seeing other vehicles or hazards on the road. Additionally, fog can lead to speed variance, which causes many accidents. When vehicles travel at significantly different speeds, an accident is more likely to occur.

SAFETY TIPS

Take the following precautions when experiencing heavy fog conditions:

• Headlights on: If you can’t see 500 feet in front of you, you should have your low-beam headlights on
• Reduce speed: Speed limits are for ideal conditions, you can be ticketed for driving too fast in heavy fog (not an ideal condition)
• Minimize distractions and increase distance from other cars
• Use right-side pavement as a guide: In thick mist and fog, use the white lines on the right side of the road as a guide for driving. Do not use the center pavement markings. Using the center line as a guide will bring you closer to oncoming vehicles whose drivers are also struggling to see.

The National Weather Service advises:

In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business and stop. If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Once you come to a stop, turn off all lights except your hazard flashing lights, set the emergency brake, and take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated so that other drivers don't mistakenly run into you.

CONTACT YOUR ATTORNEY

If you or someone you know are involved in a fog-related motor vehicle accident, contact Dave Thomas at The Thomas Law Firm for a free consultation regarding your legal rights.