You know that your following distance is important when driving on the highway. A larger distance gives you a greater reaction time, allowing you to react appropriately to unexpected hazards ahead of you. This reduces the odds that you will be involved in a car accident. It’s also why being tailgated is so frustrating, because you know that the other driver is putting you in danger.
But what should your following distance really look like? Doesn’t it depend on how fast you are traveling? How do you figure out what a safe following distance looks like on a city street, at 30 miles an hour, as opposed to when you’re driving down the interstate at 70 miles an hour?
Counting off three seconds
Luckily, there’s an easy trick that allows you to adjust your following distance depending on how fast you’re driving. Instead of looking at the distance itself, just count off three seconds. You measure the time between your vehicle and the one ahead of you, and as long as you have a minimum of three seconds, you have a safe following distance.
When you’re driving faster, the following distance naturally lengthens. You do need much more time to stop on the interstate, at 70 miles per hour. Additionally, you may also want to increase that following distance to four or five seconds, depending on road conditions. For example, if you’re driving in the rain and the roads are slick, a little extra space is not a bad idea.
Unfortunately, other drivers may still tailgate or fail to adjust their speed appropriately. If you get injured in an accident one of them causes, be sure you know how to seek compensation for medical bills and more.