Motorists have been advised to take extra care on the roads this week as severe frost is expected in the coming days.
A Met Éireann forecast predicts that temperatures are likely to fall too as low as minus 6 degrees in some parts of the country tonight leading to severe frost and fog. It is expected that overnight frost and fog will be slow to clear and may linger in some areas.
Severe frost and fog is likely for the rest of the week as temperatures remain low, the forecaster said.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has called on motorists to drive slowly and keep a suitable distance between vehicles.
“Fog is potentially the most dangerous of all weather conditions as it reduces a driver’s ability to see the road ahead and spot hazards. Freezing fog - when poor visibility is compounded by the road surface being slippery - is a driver's worst nightmare," said Noel Brett, chief executive of the authority.
“In such a scenario a collision involving one vehicle can quickly involve many others, resulting in multiple vehicle pile-ups. So the advice is to slow down, keep your distance and give yourself plenty of time to react to the unexpected.” He added.
Motorists have also been warned that while it is important to use fog lights they should be sure to turn them off once visibility has improved as they can dazzle other drivers.
