Longtime drivers in the Central Valley say this year’s fog is different from what they’ve seen in the past, with dense, persistent conditions lasting over entire days and creating dangerous driving conditions throughout the region.
“The fog this year, for some reason, was much denser,” said Sylvia Vargas, owner and instructor of Learn 2 Drive Center.
Dense fog blanketed Fresno on Friday, surprising even seasoned weather watchers.
ABC30 chief meteorologist Kevin Musso called it unprecedented in recent memory, saying: “This is the densest fog I’ve seen in years — maybe decades.”
Vargas said the fog brings back memories of previous decades.
“Today is like the 80s and even 70s with all this heavy fog,” she said.
The unusual circumstances forced Vargas to adjust the way she taught new drivers.
She said it has been many years since she has had to regularly prepare students to deal with such limited vision.
“Our focus is to show them, you know, the right way to drive in fog,” Vargas said.
Law enforcement officials say fog contributed to several accidents this week.
The California Highway Patrol responded to several low-visibility crashes, including a crash on Interstate 43 east of Laton involving four semi-trucks.
“A truck hit that trailer, and it caused a chain reaction,” CHP official Anthony Daulton said.
Another accident Friday morning left a teen with serious injuries after the truck she was driving collided with a semi-truck on Minnewawa Street. Officials have not said whether speed was a factor in the accidents, but they say the conditions served as a reminder to drivers to slow down.
“What a lot of people don’t realize when it comes to fog is that fog is moisture and moisture, and fog will also be on the road.”
Driving instructors say learning how to deal with these conditions is essential, even if it’s scary.
“We want you to have that experience on how to stay safe on the road,” Vargas said.
Safety experts recommend keeping your headlights on at all times while driving in fog, even during the day, manually setting your lights to low beams and using hazard lights if necessary. Drivers are also advised not to stop suddenly and only stop in safe places when stopping is unavoidable.
Vargas said the advice she gives her students is the same guidance she gives her own children.
“I think I might be more worried than her, the actual driver, because I know what could happen out there…” she said.
With dense fog expected to remain part of winters in the Valley, officials are urging drivers to stay alert, slow down and respect the risk of reduced visibility.