Vehicle Fog Lights Explained: How And When You Should Be Using Them

While Stanford researchers have created a device that will help autonomous cars see through fog, that's not going to help actual drivers. What most cars do have, however, are fog lights (or fog lamps as they're sometimes called), which many Americans use to colloquially refer to high beams. That's not what fog lights are, though. In fact, it's best if drivers don't use their high beams when there's heavy fog, as it can create a glare that obstructs the driver's view of the road. Fog lights, as the name implies, are meant to help drivers see when there's heavy fog.

They're positioned below regular headlights in such a way that they shine a light down at the road to both avoid producing a glare and to highlight road markings. While the headlights will help drivers see farther ahead of them, the fog lights will help them see if they need to merge or if they're in a turn lane. Even modern headlights being brighter (and they're just getting brighter) than their predecessors aren't as helpful in foggy conditions.

While fog lights can and should be used alongside the normal headlights when visibility is poor, they should never be used instead of regular lights. So, even though they aren't mandatory by law in the United States, if you are vehicle is equipped with fog lights, here's when to use them.

So you're wondering when it's the right time to use your fog lights? Can they be used all the time? Even if it's allowed in your state, it wouldn't serve much of a purpose. The best time to use the fog lights is any time visibility is extremely low. Fog, as it's in the name, is the most common instance for them to be used. However, you can also use them when rain is heavily falling, if you live somewhere that suffers from sandstorms, or if you want some additional help to see the road at night.

Before using these auxiliary lights whenever you want, make sure there are no regulations in your area against using them when fog isn't present. For example, Florida has a law that prohibits the use of fog lamps whenever other cars are on the road and there is no fog.

How do you turn on your vehicle's fog lamps? No vehicle is the same. There are a number of ways to turn them on, depending on the vehicle's make and model. Some cars have a dial near the steering wheel the driver can use, while other cars might have buttons on the dashboard. The button for the fog lamps is a semi-circle with one wavy line through three diagonal lines. If you're still having trouble, be sure to check your vehicle's owner manual.