Proper following distances provide enough time to make a decision, see the side of the road, and see the vehicle in front. Follow these tips to maintain a proper distance. If you have trouble keeping the correct distance, consider getting a driving instructor to help you learn.
What is a safe following distance?
In general, a safe following distance will give you ample time to react if you come across a construction site or other road hazard. However, in some cases, it is not possible to maintain a safe following distance due to heavy traffic or busy roads. In such cases, you may need to adjust your following distance to fit your driving conditions. Listed below are the general rules for safe following distance:
First of all, you must understand the concept behind safe following distance in driving. Using a formula will help you calculate a safe distance and your speed. Regardless of your driving style, it is imperative that you always know your following distance before you begin driving. Rear-end collisions are one of the most common and dangerous types of traffic accidents. In fact, they cause 30 percent of all traffic accidents.
How to work out a safe following distance
The safe following distance is a critical factor in preventing accidents. Leaving yourself with enough space allows other drivers enough time to react. Leaving a safe following distance will also give them ample time to scan the road ahead. It will also allow them to anticipate and plan far down the road. According to the RAC “Following too closely to other cars – known as tailgating – is one of the biggest causes of road accidents in the UK and it could result in failing your driving test too.”
In general, a three-second safe following distance is the best practice. Drivers can use a mile marker or street sign to determine their distance. They can count their seconds by focusing on the object ahead of them. If the car reaches the object before they have counted one thousand, they are following too closely. Similarly, if they pass the object before two seconds have passed, they are following too closely.
The two-second gap
fig.1
Creating a safe two-second gap between yourself and the vehicle ahead of you is vitally important. Leaving yourself enough space to react to an emergency is one of the most common causes of car accidents. The safest way to judge this distance is by avoiding driving with a poor view in front. The two-second rule helps you do just that. Here are some practical examples to apply this rule. Listed below are some situations when you might want to make an extra two seconds between you and the car in front of you.
How to use the two-second gap
- A vehicle in front passes a stationary object such as the road sign in the picture (fig.1).
- You should start to count (eg: one elephant, two elephant or one one-thousand, two one-thousand etc,)
- By the time you have finished your count, you should just about pass the stationary object or still have plenty of space ahead before you reach it.
Whether driving in a slow area or a fast road such as a motorway, keeping a safe two-second on a dry day gap is a good idea. This rule applies to any type of driving situation, from slow streets to major highways. Drivers often have difficulty judging the distance needed between their car and the vehicle in front of them. It’s also difficult to memorize stopping distances or compute them on the fly. Creating a two-second gap will help you avoid these issues and improve your road safety.
Safe following distance in rain and snow
In rain and snow, the safe following distance is longer than you would otherwise need. Usually, you should allow yourself four seconds behind a vehicle in front on a wet day. However, if you’re driving on an icy road, the following distance will be longer, ideally ten seconds. You should also slow down considerably when driving in such conditions. Using these tips can help you maintain the proper distance while driving.
So, to summarise, on dry weather, you should follow a vehicle about two seconds behind, but in bad weather, you should double that time. As a general rule, double the following distance when it’s raining or times in by ten if it’s snowing. This is only a minor inconvenience compared to the danger of rear-end collisions. The safe following distance should be at least two seconds, although you can increase the time if you’re driving at night or your visibility is poor.
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