One of the most important things a driver can do is maintain a safe following distance behind other vehicles. Generally speaking, this means that each vehicle should be about three or four seconds apart. By counting off seconds instead of looking at the physical distance, the gap is automatically adjusted at higher speeds.
The thing to remember is that reacting to traffic conditions doesn’t happen instantaneously. There’s a delay of about one and a half seconds. For half of that time, the driver just needs to recognize the change in traffic conditions and the need to stop. For the other half, they have to pick their foot up and put it on the brake pedal. So even under the best of circumstances, a driver won’t actually start slowing their car down for about two seconds, during which they can cover a significant distance.
Adjusting for other conditions
In many situations, though, even a three-second following distance isn’t enough. For instance, perhaps there is reduced visibility due to rain or fog. This can mean that it takes more time for a driver to recognize that they need to stop the car, so they may need a following distance of four or five seconds.
In other situations, the road may be wet or slick. This can cause the car to slide, meaning it takes a greater distance to stop. Drivers may also want to be careful with the brakes, rather than pressing them aggressively. On slick roads, a larger following distance is needed simply because the vehicle reacts differently.
Unintentional tailgating
Unfortunately, many drivers do not understand what a safe following distance looks like or why they need one, which can lead to tailgating. If you get injured in a rear-end accident caused by an unsafe driver, be sure you know what legal steps to take.