When considering how big of a following distance you need to keep between vehicles, it’s natural to think about the physical distance. Should you be 100 yards behind the next car? 200 yards? You may find yourself consistently looking at the gap and trying to adjust it.
But the best way to figure this out is actually to think about time, rather than distance. What you really need to do is count off 3 to 4 seconds between vehicles. This will ensure that you have a proper gap and a large enough distance that you can stop in time.
It adjusts automatically
The benefit of using time is that it automatically adjusts the distance based on your speed. If you’re driving at 30 miles an hour and you see the car ahead of you pass a stationary object, just count off three seconds and ensure that you don’t pass it until the time is up. If you do the exact same thing while traveling at 60 miles an hour, it takes you the same amount of time, but the actual physical gap between the cars will be much larger because of the higher rate of speed.
Another thing to consider about time is that it accounts for your reaction time. Even if that reaction time is optimal, it’s going to take you about one and a half seconds to start slowing the car down. This is why anything less than a three-second following distance just isn’t large enough. If anything reduces your reaction time—fatigue, distraction, etc.—then you may need an even larger gap.
Maintaining a proper following distance can help you avoid accidents, but you could still be injured by another driver who doesn’t do so. If you are, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.
