When should front fog lights be used?

Low beam and fog lights

When visibility is reduced (fog, rain, snow, etc.), turn on your low beam first. If the fog is very dense, activate the fog lights as well.

• Front fog lights: illuminate the edge and center of the road to keep you on course.
• Rear fog lights: make you more visible to following motorists.

As soon as visibility improves, turn off your fog lights to avoid dazzling other road users.

High beam prohibited

Never use your high beams in fog. Their high power creates a “white wall” in front of you, as they light up higher. Fog lights, on the other hand, project light towards the ground, improving visibility without blinding you.
 

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Fog lamps are designed to make driving easier in difficult weather conditions (fog, heavy rain, snowfall). A distinction is made between :

• Front fog lights
• Rear fog lights

Although they have different functions, they are most often used when visibility is very poor (less than 150 meters, or even 50 meters).

Front fog lamps are not required by law. Only a rear fog light is mandatory. In fact, you are not required to use front fog lights.

However, if your vehicle is equipped with them, the Highway Code recommends that you activate them when visibility is severely reduced (below 150 meters, or even 50 meters). Their wider, more intense illumination towards the ground and the sides makes it easier to detect obstacles and avoid collisions. You can also use them in conjunction with your low-beam headlamps for a more distant view.

Here are the situations in which their use is recommended:

• During the day, in dense fog, heavy snowfall or heavy rain.
• At night, on a narrow, winding, unlit road, in addition to high beam.

If another vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction, don't forget to switch back to low beam and turn off the fog lights to avoid dazzling the oncoming driver.

Unlike the front fog lamp, the rear fog lamp (usually the only one) is not designed to help you see, but rather to help you be seen. Its intensity, up to three times greater than a brake light, can dazzle following drivers in foggy conditions. For this reason, every vehicle is required by law to have at least one rear fog lamp, installed on the left-hand side of the vehicle, to avoid confusion with a motorcycle.

Front fog lamps, whether yellow or white, are usually located under the front light clusters. Depending on the model and year of your vehicle, the control lever may be on the right or left of the steering wheel.

As a general rule, this lever has two rings:

• The first activates the position, dipped and main beam headlamps.
• The second for front and rear fog lights.

The symbols on these rings indicate their function. For example, on a Peugeot 207, check that the green light representing a headlight pointing forwards and downwards is lit on your dashboard.

Misuse of fog lights is punishable by a fourth-class fixed fine (€135). Specifically, a driver risks this penalty if he or she uses them without visibility of less than 150 meters (except on narrow, winding roads), or if he or she activates the rear fog light without fog or snowfall.

In town, it's not an offence not to switch on your fog lights. Of course, they provide better illumination, but they can also dazzle oncoming drivers. In such conditions, it is often advisable to use low-beam headlights, which are less powerful but less dangerous for other road users.

Even if front fog lights are not compulsory, you must maintain them in good condition if they are installed. The same applies to the optional third brake light: you risk nothing if it's missing, but you're in breach of the law if it's present and defective.

Driving with only one fog light distorts the perception of other drivers. If you can't repair it, turn it off or remove it to avoid any penalties.

At the roadworthiness test, your headlights will be checked with a headlight tester. A defective or missing light source can lead to a rear-view inspection, but not a simple misadjustment of the height.

If one of your two fog lights no longer works, it's probably the bulb. If both lights stay on all the time, or don't light up at all, check the relay (short-circuit, wiring problem, etc.).

As a reminder, low-beam headlights are compulsory when visibility is less than 200 metres, day or night. When you enter a foggy zone, switch them on immediately and reduce your speed. In bad weather, always drive smoothly and cautiously.

If visibility is between 50 and 150 meters, you can turn on your fog lights to get a better view of the road. Continue to drive carefully, adapting your speed and increasing your safety distance from the vehicle in front.

When visibility is less than 50 meters, limit your speed to 50 km/h and keep a safe distance of at least 50 meters from the vehicle in front of you. Avoid overtaking and wait for conditions to improve, to avoid the risk of an accident.

Which light should I use when it's raining?

When it's raining, you should switch on your low beam headlamps. In the event of heavy rain (and only in this situation, not in light rain), you can either replace them with front fog lights, or use both simultaneously.

Are fog lights compulsory equipment?

Rear fog lights are compulsory: at least one must be fitted on the left-hand side of the vehicle. Front fog lights, on the other hand, are not required by law, and some models are not equipped with them.

What are the risks of misusing fog lights?

When visibility is very poor, it's advisable to turn on your fog lights. In heavy rain, you can activate the front fog lights, but rear fog lights should only be used in fog, or when snowfall severely restricts your field of vision. If you use them improperly, you risk a €135 fine.

Can fog lights be left on all the time?

No, as their high intensity can annoy or dazzle other drivers. Fog lamps are designed to be used only when visibility is very poor. As soon as weather conditions improve, it's essential to switch them off, so as not to disturb other drivers behind you.