Lincoln County on Thursday was again hit by a hail storm. That’s at least the fourth time this year that hail has fallen here.

The previous hail storms caused very little damage, but Thursday’s was a contributing factor in a six-vehicle accident that shut down I-55 northbound for a couple hours.

Just as dangerous as the hail itself is the fog that sometimes forms after. Hail fog forms due to the decreased temperature near the ground, which brings the air temperature down to the dew point. Hail fog can create an abrupt and dangerous drop in visibility, according to weather experts.

Driving in hail is something most of us have little experience with. Below are some safety tips if you find yourself in your car during a hail storm. Most of these are common sense, but like all safety tips, if you haven’t thought about them before you need them, you probably won’t use them.

• Stay inside the vehicle.

• If driving, slow down and then pull to a safe place, such as an overpass. Interstate traffic can make this difficult at times, so make sure you don’t abruptly slow down. A driver on I-55 attempted to pull to the side of the interstate during Thursday’s hail storm and was hit by an 18-wheeler.

• If possible, angle the vehicle so that the hail is hitting the windshield, which has reinforced glass. Side windows and back windows do not.

• Lie down and cover yourself with a blanket or jacket to prevent debris from hitting you.

• If you have hail damage, insurance companies recommend calling your claims representative as soon as you can.