29 Sep What Is the Three Second Rule in Traffic?
As a driver, you follow hundreds of different rules while driving to maintain your own safety and the safety of everyone else on the road. Rear-end accidents are the most common type of car accident between two vehicles. If you leave enough space between you and the car in front of you, you should have enough time to react when someone brakes or stops suddenly in front of you. The three-second rule is meant to help you maintain the necessary distance between cars.
Calculating the Three Second Rule
The National Safety Council recommends that cars maintain a minimum of three second following distance between themselves and the car in front of them. You can calculate this three-second gap by picking a landmark or roadside marker ahead of you on the road. When the vehicle ahead of you reaches that marker, count the number of seconds it takes for you to reach it yourself. If it is less than three seconds, you need to increase your following distance.
Understanding the Three Second Rule
The three second rule gives you a starting point for calculating a safe following distance. Three seconds isn’t enough for all situations, however. If you are driving a large, heavy vehicle or if your brakes aren’t in optimal condition, it may take you longer to brake. If you’re traveling on a roadway that is slick with ice or rain, if your visibility is low, or if you’re on a freeway or highway traveling at high speeds, three seconds isn’t enough time to come to a complete stop.
A New Way of Calculating Distance
In less than ideal driving conditions or when you’re driving a large vehicle or traveling at high speeds, you need to use a different method for calculating the distance between yourself and the car in front of you. First, you should calculate how many feet you cover in an hour of driving. You can do this by multiplying your driving speed by the number of feet in a mile: 5,280. Then you should calculate the feet you cover in one minute of driving by dividing that number by 60. Next, determine how many feet you cover in one second of driving by dividing that number by 60. Finally, multiply that answer by three in order to calculate your safe driving distance at your current speed. When you use this calculation, you’ll find that when you’re driving 65 mph on a highway, you need to keep around 5 seconds of distance between you and the car ahead of you.
If you have minor or major collision damage in Tucson, AZ, after a rear-end accident, come see us at National Auto Collision Centers. We specialize in auto body repair, getting out dents and dings, fixing scratches, and repairing paint jobs. You should also check out our accident checklist to learn what to do after being rear-ended or rear-ending another car. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call us today or contact us online.