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roflwaffle -

Originally Posted by roflwaffle

I think you have it backwards. You're supposed to increase the distance between the car in front of you and yourself by slowing down when tailgated, so in the event of an emergency you can brake/decelerate at a lower rate since the person behind you doesn't have crap for braking distances.

Yup. This is one reason I follow the 3 (or 2) second rule :

http://www.beaconmutual.com/Documents/SA.07.04.01.pdf

The National Safety Council recommends a
minimum three-second following distance for normal
driving circumstances. From the first recognition of
trouble ahead, to the driver’s reaction to that trouble,
three seconds pass. No matter the type of road or
the speed you’re traveling, this is the minimal
reaction time. Adverse weather or hazardous
driving conditions require an extra second, per
condition, to leave enough space between you and
the vehicle in front of you.

A collision into the rear of a vehicle is almost always
preventable. This type of collision usually occurs
when you are following too closely or are
inattentive to the driving at-hand. This is precisely
where the 3-Second Rule can help avoid an
unnecessary accident by providing a three-second
buffer zone between you and the vehicle ahead of
you.

Traffic School: The Three Second Rule - Traffic News Story - WCVB Boston

The Massachusetts Safe Roads Alliance said that tailgating is the nation’s most common form of vehicular crash. They also claim that Massachusetts is first in the nation for tailgating crashes. That makes us the worst of the worst. We all know why – we all drive close enough to keep other drivers from cutting into our lane.

We disregard safety for the tiny amount of time we might save by keeping that other guy from cutting in front of us.

The National Safety Council recommends a minimum three-second following distance under normal driving circumstances. From the first sign of trouble to the time you have to react, three seconds pass. It doesn’t matter what kind of road or what your speed is, this is the minimal (yes, minimal) reaction time. If you’re driving in rain, snow or other some other inclement weather you need even more time.

Rear end collisions are almost always preventable. This kind of collision generally happens when you’re following too closely, and/or are not paying attention.

Here’s how the 3-second rule works:

· While driving pick out a sign or pole on the side of the road.
· When the vehicle in front of you passes it count off three seconds.
· The front of your vehicle should not reach the marker before you reach three.
· If you pass the marker before you reach the count of three, back off and try again.

Two-second rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The two-second rule is a rule of thumb by which a driver may maintain a safe following distance at any speed. The rule is that a driver should ideally stay at least two seconds behind any vehicle that is directly in front of the driver's vehicle. It is intended for automobiles, although its general principle applies to other types of vehicles.

The two-second rule is useful as it works at any speed. It is equivalent to one vehicle-length for every 8 km/h (5 mph) of the current speed, but drivers can find it difficult to estimate the correct distance from the car in front, let alone to remember the stopping distances that are required for a given speed, or to compute the linear equation on the fly. The two-second rule gets around these problems, and provides a simple and common-sense way of improving road safety.

The practice has been shown to dramatically reduce risk of collision, and also the severity of an accident should an accident occur. It also helps to avoid tailgating and road rage for all drivers.

The risk of tailgating is largely caused by the accident avoidance time being much less than the driver reaction time. Driving instructors advocate that drivers always use the "2 second rule" regardless of speed or the type of road. During adverse weather or hazardous conditions, it is important to maintain an even greater distance of three or four seconds behind the vehicle in front of you.

The 3-Second Following Distance Rule | Driver's Ed Guru

A new driver may wonder exactly how much distance to keep between their car and the car in front of them. Drivers must always be prepared for the car in front of them to stop, slow down, or encounter unexpected road debris.

Since road conditions and speed obviously play a factor, there is no perfect answer. Under normal driving conditions, a common tool used to determine a proper following distance is the 3-second rule.

How the 3-second rule works

The 3-second rule is a simple way to double-check that you are driving at a safe following distance. Choose a fixed point that is even with the car in front of you. For example, a road sign or a building. If you reach that same fixed point before you can count to three, then you are driving too close to the car in front of you and you need to fall back a bit.

The 3-Second Rule allows for a safe following distance when the road is dry and straight.

CarloSW2