[TusharK]

According to a media report, 11,090 lives were lost in fog-related road accidents in 2017, which amounts to 16% of the total road crashes in the same year. This figure has risen by almost 100% from 5,886 deaths in 2014.



In 2015, 7,665 people were killed in fog-related road accidents. In 2016, this number rose to 9,317 deaths. In the next one year, the number of fatalities went up by 20%.

According to 2017 figures provided by the Ministry Road Transport and Highways, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of fog-related road fatalities (3,374 deaths), followed by Bihar (1,432), Haryana (900), Punjab (866) and Orissa (516).

North India sees the highest number of fog-related accidents during the months of December and January. In December 2018, fifteen people lost their lives due to heavy fog in separate incidents in Jhajjar, Haryana and on the Ambala-Chandigarh highway. On January 7, 2018, powerlifting world champion Saksham Yadav was killed in a road accident on the Delhi-Panipat highway.

Related thread

Source: Times of India

Link to Team-BHP News

[greenoval]

It's no surprise that the issue has caught the attention of global road safety body- International Road Federation (IRF). Some of the urgent measures recommended by IRF for the government, which can reduce crash risk in foggy conditions, include -
1) Mandatory front and rear fog lights
2) Warning signals or mobile weather stations on the road to alert drivers of fog conditions ahead
3) Technology in vehicles that can sense fog and activate lights, with dashboard signs to warn motorists to slow down before they get to the foggy area
4) Installation of smart sensor embedded street lights at identified fog trouble spots

Adherence to the first recommendation itself can ensure a reversal in the alarmingly increasing trend. But, the sheer number of trucks that still continue ply on our roads without even working tail-lights, paints a grim picture on the implementation front.

Source -
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...w/62370749.cms

[drivetoseeindia]

From Team-BHP side, we can do a simple thing. If there is a Fog Update thread then let’s use that or create a new one, per season, to keep posts fresh and easily searchable.

Any Team-BHP'ian traveling who has faced fog can give a crisp post with highway number, approximate location, date and time. Then others planning to make a trip by that route can infer fog trend.

This is very approximate and sub-optimal. Agreed that technology is needed to predict fog and to be safe during fog. However, sharing fog update can be done right now and it can help lot of people.

Usually weather sites do not give current fog situation accurately or give recent history of fog.

I usually make a guess from red path in Google map where in early morning or late night not much traffic is expected. Usually that indicates fog.

[GTO]

I know you've linked to it, but I will do so again. Strongly recommend reading SS-Traveller's helpful article on Fog Driving.

Originally Posted by drivetoseeindia

From Team-BHP side, we can do a simple thing. If there is a Fog Update thread then let’s use that or create a new one, per season, to keep posts fresh and easily searchable.

Not a suitable platform for such updates. It'll be better if Google Maps integrates fog / weather warnings.

[Chetan_Rao]

This, while our car manufacturers are busy stripping rear fog lamps, defoggers and wash/wipe from their budget models in some variants, or altogether in some cases to 'optimize' cost while endangering customers who buy their products.

About time passive safety equipment (foglamps at both ends, rear defogger & wash/wipe etc.) was standardized.

[SmartCat]

That's 8% of all deaths on Indian roads. But reducing this number is a low hanging fruit.

I think public service TV/radio "fog campaign" by a celebrity showing how long it takes a car to stop from typical highway speeds might help. Visibility in foggy conditions is what? 10 to 30 metres? A lightly loaded hatchback or sedan takes 30 metres to stop from 80 kmph. 30 metres is without including reaction time.

[avisidhu]

Originally Posted by smartcat

That's 8% of all deaths on Indian roads. But reducing this number is a low hanging fruit.

I think public service TV/radio "fog campaign" by a celebrity showing how long it takes a car to stop from typical highway speeds might help. Visibility in foggy conditions is what? 10 to 30 metres? A lightly loaded hatchback or sedan takes 30 metres to stop from 80 kmph. 30 metres is without including reaction time.

Many a times it is less than 10 meters.

Having driven extensively in such conditions and been a part of two such pile ups, few observations:

Foggy conditions are not omnipresent. Typically what happens is, one suddenly encounters a stretch of dense fog while driving. It takes some time for people to sensitize themselves to the changed driving conditions, and by that time it's too late. Ironically, during situations when the fog has well and truly descended everywhere, most people stay indoors or drive sanely.

Also, incredibly enough many people still continue to drive as if nothing has changed. I have seen people zoom past at even 100 plus with zero visibility! And most vehicles going at 30-40 in a queue will jump out and try to follow this daredevil. Might seem unbelievable to some, but this actually occurs a lot. Even more scary is the fact that these morons don't care if its a single lane road with on coming traffic!

And then you have trucks, trolleys and other heavy vehicles either stranded on the road or going at 5kmph with no tail lights. Ask anyone who's been a part of a pile up, and these guys are the majority of culprits. Fast driving buses with deadlines to meet also form a big chunk of such mishaps.

And last, the fatality related ones don't even constitute 10% of the total fog related incidents. A pile up of 5 to 10 vehicles with everyone going at 30-50 kmph typically doesn't result in major injuries.

As for solutions, I can offer zilch ideas. It seems the more jobless people are, the greater hurry they are in to reach somewhere. Sorry but anyone who's spent time on our highways long enough, is bound to become cynical

[anjan_c2007]

Quite horrifying statistics that is ! Safety, especially on the roads is accorded the lowest priority in our scheme of things. The killer fog's behaviorial pattern is quite predictable most of the times. The fog is deceptive at other times and precautionary measures by the driver fails, which is mostly unfortunate and unavoidable.

Coming to precautions, most drivers have a 'devil may care' attitude, even in low visibility conditions and drive using their usual retrograde and harmful traffic mannerisms, that are detrimental to their own and others safety. The majority lacks traffic discipline and all eccentricities of the respective minds manifest and are best revealed in their driving patterns.

We start late from place "A" and want to reach place "B" and/ or "C", "D" and so on, in the bare minimum possible time, be it foggy, rainy or any other extreme weather condition prevailing.

Speed commensurate with visibility conditions on the mind, safe braking distance from the leading vehicles, proper condition of one's vehicles including lights, fog lights, brakes and tyres alongwith a host of other important factors need to personally looked into by each respective vehicle user to stay safe.