Fog Warning Issued For Sunshine Skyway Bridge Saturday: FHP

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — A fog warning has been issued for the Sunshine Skyway Bridge Saturday morning, the Florida Highway Patrol said in a news release.

“Use caution on (Tampa) Bay-area roadways today due to heavy fog, including at the Skyway Bridge,” FHP said. “Reduce your speed, increase your following distance, and keep your headlights on per state law.”

According to Florida’s department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles issued some safe driving rules when heavy fog is present.

The department suggests drivers turn their lights on low beam, as “high beams will reflect back off of precipitation, smoke or fog and further impair visibility,” according to the website.

Drivers should also slow down and keep a safe distance between vehicles and reduce all distractions – including radios and cell phones – while driving, the department said. It also recommends that drivers never stop on the road when there is dense fog as “it may result in a chain-reaction collision.”

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The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a four-lane cable-stayed concrete bridge with northbound and southbound lanes, is part of I-275 and U.S. Highway 19. It connects Pinellas and Manatee counties. The bridge closes when there are maximum sustained winds of 40 mph or higher.