Updated October 17, 2026.
In a fog-related collision, “visibility was poor” is a starting point, not a complete explanation. Conditions can change over a short distance. Document what was visible from your position at the relevant time, rather than borrowing an estimate from another driver or a news story.
This article’s earlier Highway 99 account lacked a reliable event date. It should not be read as a new incident report. The guide below addresses evidence and safe decision-making without repeating an unverified casualty count.
Safety is more important than photographs
Do not walk into moving traffic or remain in a hazardous position to document fog. Call for emergency assistance when needed and follow responders’ directions. Whether remaining in a vehicle or moving away is safer depends on immediate hazards; no single instruction suits every crash scene.
The DMV’s fog guidance recommends postponing travel in heavy fog when possible, using low beams if travel is necessary, reducing speed and allowing additional following space. Those are safety measures, not a determination of what caused a particular collision.
Preserve the original view
Retain original dashcam files, not only brightened screenshots. Record the device time and whether a windshield, lighting or camera setting affected the view. An image taken after sunrise or after fog cleared may not represent earlier conditions.
Describe what landmarks, lights or lane markings you could see. Do not invent a visibility distance or speed. If an estimate is necessary, explain the basis and its limits.
Separate successive impacts
A multi-vehicle scene may contain several collision sequences. Record what you felt and saw before the first contact and before any later contact. A driver who arrived after one collision may have information about a later impact but not the first.
Keep the responding agency’s identifiers and any vehicle numbering used in its report. A corrected report or supplement should be saved alongside the earlier version, with the dates clear.
Review the whole circumstances
Weather does not automatically excuse unsafe conduct or prove that every involved driver was negligent. Vehicle movement, available sight distance, traffic, warnings and other evidence may matter. Qualified analysis can be appropriate when the sequence is disputed.
Organize health and insurance records separately. Use our post-accident guide for broader tasks. For an individual review, contact Fairmont Law Firm at (800) 324-7666. Intake assistance is available 24/7 in English and Spanish. Do not wait for every report to be complete before asking about deadlines.
General information, not legal advice. Outcomes depend on the facts, available evidence and applicable law.