Be prepared for fog in 9 Massachusetts counties until Sunday morning

The National Weather Service issued a weather alert at 3:37 a.m. on Sunday for fog until 7 a.m. for Northern Worcester and Southern Worcester as well as Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties.

Fog safety: Tips from the weather service for safe travels

If you need to drive through fog, remember these safety guidelines:

Reduce speed:

• Slow down and allocate extra time for your trip to reach your destination safely.

Visibility matters:

• Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which automatically activate your taillights. Utilize fog lights if your vehicle is equipped with them.

Avoid high-beams:

• Refrain from using high-beam headlights, as they create glare that impairs your visibility on the road.

Keep a safe distance:

• Maintain a generous following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifting traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

• Use the road’s lane markings as a guide to remaining in the correct lane.

Zero visibility protocol:

• In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, initiate your hazard lights and locate a secure spot, such as a nearby business parking area, to pull over and come to a halt.

No parking options:

• If no designated parking area is available, pull your vehicle as far off the road as possible. Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.

By adhering to these weather service recommendations, you can navigate foggy conditions with greater safety, mitigating the risk of accidents and prioritizing your well-being.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.