This will be quick. I know we’re used to the rain, the sun, and the occasional fog, but it has been wild out there lately.

Anthony W. Haddad
The Millennial View

On my way to work, I saw it all: people driving without their headlights on, flashing high beams, pedestrians jetting across the street, cars riding too close, acting like everything was normal.

Fresno, this is exactly how people die. Crashes like the one Friday morning on Highway 43 at the Fresno-Kings County line, the one that shut everything down for hours, happen when people aren’t paying attention.

Four commercial trucks were involved, CHP said, and honestly, I’m just glad everyone was wearing seatbelts and that there wasn’t a normal car in the mix.

Tips for the Foggy Road

The National Weather Service has some advice that might save your life:

• Slow down and give yourself extra time to get where you’re going.
• Make your vehicle visible by using low-beam headlights, this keeps your taillights on too. Use fog lights if you have them.
• Never use high beams. They just cause glare and make it harder to see.
• Leave plenty of space between you and the car ahead. Sudden stops happen fast.
• Follow the road lines with your eyes to stay in your lane.
• If visibility is near zero, turn on your hazard lights and pull into a safe location — a parking lot or driveway — then stop.
• No safe spot nearby? Pull as far off the road as possible. Turn off all lights except hazards, set the emergency brake, and take your foot off the brake so your taillights aren’t confusing other drivers.

It’s basic, common-sense stuff, but apparently, some people forgot this week. Fresno, let’s not make foggy mornings a reason for tragedy.

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