What should your following distance be when you are being tailgated?

What should your following distance be when you are being tailgated?

Allow at least 4 seconds of following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you under ideal driving conditions. Allow more distance at night or during inclement weather such as rain, snow or ice. Be especially cautious when approaching stop lights, intersections and when changing lanes.

How many seconds gap should be between you and the car ahead of you?

Three-Second
The Three-Second Rule Increasing the distance between you and the car ahead can help give you the time you need to recognize a hazard and respond safely. The National Safety Council recommends a minimum three-second following distance. Determining the three-second gap is relatively easy.

Should you slow down when being tailgated?

Don’t overuse your brakes. “Brake checking” or slamming on your brakes when someone tailgates is not a good move in any situation. Sure, you can slow down, and maybe get the other driver to lay off, but it’s best not to abuse the brakes. The driver behind you may get irritated and begin to drive more aggressively.

How much distance should you keep between cars?

The rule of thumb is to maintain at least a three-second following distance, giving you time to react and avoid potentially dangerous situations. You can calculate this by using a fixed object, such as a pole or an overpass to determine how far in front of you the car is.

Why is it dangerous to tailgate a car?

Tailgating is dangerous because it reduces the space between cars to an unsafe distance. If you suddenly hit the brakes, the tailgater may not have enough time to react and slow down before hitting your car. If you’re being tailgated, be extra cautious when you brake. Don’t slam on the brakes for no reason.

What’s the best way to deal with a tailgater?

The sooner the tailgater drives away, the better. Aggressive driving tactics like tailgating are nerve-wracking. Keep calm, don’t overreact, and let the tailgater pass when possible so everyone safely arrives at their destinations.

When do you need to maintain a safe following distance?

If you get to “one thousand three” before you pass the object, then you’re three seconds behind that car. The entire purpose of maintaining a safe following distance is to give your car the time it will need to stop before hitting the car in front of it. How much stopping distance you need varies depending upon driving conditions.

How to calculate following distance in defensive driving?

So now Comedy Guys Defensive Driving classes teach the latest system for a safe following distance: the 3-Second-or-More rule. Calculate distance between you and car ahead of you by picking an inanimate object beside the roadway. When that other car passes the object, start counting “one thousand one, one thousand two…”.