On Easter Sunday, a terrible series of crashes happened on I-77 in Fancy Gap, VA, which is an interstate that I’m very familiar with and travel often. Virginia State Police determined 95 vehicles wrecked in 17 separate crashes within a mile span near the base of Fancy Gap Mountain, near the North Carolina state line. Three people were killed and 25 were injured. Some of the news sites that I read blamed the fog for the crashes.  Safety directors and insurance investigators are more than likely not going to accept the fact that the fog caused the accidents.  As professional drivers, we are expected to handle these situations safely just like any other challenge that we may face. 
 
Fog doesn’t allow for the kind of warning that a winter storm does.  For up to three days prior, meteorologists seem like they are scaring the heck out of us about an approaching snow storm.  But in the case of fog, we don’t delay our trip to avoid it because it’s not as predictable and we don’t know how bad it is until we’re in it. Fog can strike anywhere, but it can be expected in certain mountain passes like Fancy Gap. To the right are pictures taken from WDBJ7.com, the local CBS affiliate that covered the crash.

Here are a few safety reminders to help reduce the chance you will be involved in a fog related crash.

  1. Firstly, identify early warning indicators.  These might be electronic warning signs used on interstates.  They’re usually positioned in areas that are identified as higher risk due to the number of crashes that have happened there.  If you don’t have a NOAA weather radio band on your FM or CB, get one.  I use mine often and if there’s a possibility of fog in the area, it’s usually identified as such on the weather radio band.
  2. Make sure your headlights are on and use your fog lights as well.  By the way, this is what fog lights are for; they’re not made for normal driving conditions, but I see drivers blinding others with them in normal driving conditions all the time.
  3. Use your hazard lights (4 way flashers), the blinking makes it easier for vehicles to see you from the rear.
  4. Roll your window down; you may be able to hear tires squealing, horns blowing, etc.  
  5.  Here’s the big one, communicate on your CB to the other truckers around you and listen.  That’s what the CB’s are for.  I’m convinced that crash on Fancy Gap could’ve been reduced if there was more communication coming down the mountain on the CB’s.
  6. Finally, if you have managed to safely stop because of a fog related crash to your front, you are still in the danger zone as other vehicles are coming behind you.  Personally, I have determined that if I don’t feel safe where I come to a stop, I will exit my vehicle and take cover well behind a guard rail or trees if the situation will allow me.  That’s something to consider if this happens to you.  Usually for trucks, it’s safer to stay inside your cab, however if I were in a car, I would definitely take cover away from the road.

I hope we never find ourselves in the situation the drivers on I-77 were in on Easter Sunday.  However, chances are if we’re out here long enough, we probably will.  The above techniques will reduce your chances of being in a fog related crash.  If you have some that I didn’t mention, please share them below.  Stay safe.  Ever Forward!
 
 

Comments (11)

Joey Slaughter

Joey Slaughter is the owner of Blue Ridge Transport, LLC. Joey has been in the trucking industry since 1992.

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Good point David. You can quickly lose your bearings in fog, even on familiar routes and speed perception is affected. Thanks for the comments!

April 06, 2013 11:44:59 AM

And watch your speed , studies have show a tendency for drivers to SPEED UP in a foggy situation because of senses that make us unconsciously sense the speed we are travelling. Great Article Joey. Everyone drive safe.

April 06, 2013 11:17:47 AM

Thanks Kim!

April 05, 2013 17:37:36 PM

Good tips, thanks

April 05, 2013 14:34:53 PM

So true Joey. They regularly close the highways here in the Northwest when fires are burning close by and visibility is poor. We always run with headlights and we also have amber strobe lights in the front and in the back that we run if the visibility is low or at night. I was working a fire a few years ago on the night shift and the visibility was so low that I actually had to stop, get out and walk ahead to see where the road was because in the cab I was too far away from the road to see it. I was glad to get out of there. People should always be thinking of safety and I think not closing a highway or interstate is nothing more than poor judgement.

April 04, 2013 17:38:42 PM

Thanks Craig. Forest fires, as you know can be even worse when it comes to decreasing visibility around the area. The state of Florida is being sued right now because of not closing I-75 while a forest fire burned nearby. The smoke was so thick that it decreased visibility to 5-10 feet and a chain reaction of crashes happened. I think 10 people were killed.

April 04, 2013 14:52:09 PM

Thanks Joey. Great information. I hope your article will help to keep others safe and alive.

April 04, 2013 13:26:47 PM

Thanks everyone. I'm with you Linda, I am usually worried more about the vehicles behind me.

April 04, 2013 12:56:25 PM

Joey thanks for the tips when I slow down for fog or ice I actually worry more about being hit from behind then I do hitting someone in front of me.

April 04, 2013 11:36:28 AM

Great tips for keeping our roads safe. Thanks Joey.

April 04, 2013 11:27:15 AM

We had a nasty accident a few years ago near Belgium, WI. 11 people died that day-really NEVER EVER outdrive your visibility. Important timely subject-SAD avoidable accident.

April 04, 2013 11:24:48 AM