All About the Fog Light

Fog lights are a special type of light, specially designed to boost visibility in low-visibility conditions such as fog, dust storms, or heavy rain. The main purpose of the fog lights is that they are angled downward to illuminate the ground beneath the fog, typically 12 to 30 inches above the road surface.

When visibility is less than 100 meters or very low, the fog light is essential. It?s not meant to replace the headlights but to implement fog lights in poor condition.

Features of Fog Light

1. Sharp Cutoff

• The upper edge of the fog light is sharp and it?s intentionally made by manufacturers because it does not reflect much light in an upward direction. If the fog light reflects light upward direction then it also faces a lot of mist particles or fog particles, causing glare that could further reduce the visibility.
• Fog lights are designed to illuminate specific areas, focusing their light on the road surface rather than scattering it in all directions.

2. Low Mounting Position

• Fog lights are situated on the front lower side of the vehicles, usually below the headlights and near the bumper. Through low positions, fog light covers the road surfaces clearly in the condition of fog, dust storms, and heavy rainfall. 
• So, drivers can easily see the road and drive easily without facing much complexity in fog.

3. Wide, flat beam pattern

• Fog lights create a wide and flat beam that spreads out lights horizontally close to the ground. But in the case of regular headlights, it spreads out light far ahead. 
• Additionally, the flat beam pattern of fog lights illuminates a broader area of the road immediately in front of the vehicles, enhancing the visibility of lane markings, road edges, and holes on the road surface and reducing the chance of accidents in the fog seasons. 

4. Color Temperature

• Many fog lights use yellow fog lights. This color has more fog penetration capability in fog conditions as compared to white light. So, many people use yellow fog lights instead of white fog lights.
•  The yellow light may cause less eye weariness in foggy conditions and can provide better contrast against the grayish appearance of fog. Some automotive companies suggest automotive fog lights in the foggy season. 

5. Legal Requirement

• Some countries have some legal rules and regulations for the use of fog lights. Europe has different rules and regulations for using rear fog lamps for cars or rear fog lights for bikes and it?s mandatory in foggy times.
• These laws define how much your country allows the brightness of your vehicle lamps, the light colour of lamps, mounting height, and conditions for use.

6. Separate Switch

• The fog light has separate switches from the main headlights for controlling purposes. This allows drivers to activate them only when needed, as using fog lights in clear conditions can be distracting to other drivers, cause accidents, and may be illegal in some jurisdictions.

7. Lens Design

• Fog light lenses often feature special patterns or textures that help shape the light beam correctly. These designs work in conjunction with the reflector to create the wide, flat beam pattern with a sharp upper cutoff. Additionally, some fog lights use high-intensity discharge (HID) technology for brighter illumination and better energy efficiency.

Fog lights are specialized vehicle lights designed to improve visibility in low-visibility conditions like heavy rain, dust storms, and fog. Usually, positioned lower than the headlights and emitting flat beams, wide, and fog lights illuminate the road surface directly. Some use yellow fog lights for better fog penetration, these lights are separately controlled and feature a sharp upper cutoff to avoid blinding other drivers.