Paul Dreher Director of Personal Insurance View Bio

This article was shared to us by our friends at Acadia Insurance.

Following too close to the vehicle in front of you, otherwise known as tailgating, is extremely dangerous. | When you leave too small of a space between your vehicle, and the vehicle in front of you, this decreases the amount of time and space you have to react to the other driver’s possible braking or swerving. Leaving a larger following distance allows for more reaction time and may help prevent potential accidents from occurring.

What is reaction time?
Reaction time is the time it takes for the driver to acknowledge there is a situation that may require braking and/or evasive maneuvering, combined with the added time for a driver to engage the brake pedal and/or steering wheel. At highway speeds the distance traveled during this reaction time can be significantly greater. Reaction time is also a factor in larger vehicles which require more time to slow down or to come to a complete stop. It may take a half-second or more for air to pass through a braking system before the brakes are applied. Following too close, coupled with reaction time and brake time factors, can lead to collisions.

How much space is recommended?
The National Safety Council recommends drivers leave at least three seconds worth of space behind the vehicle they are following behind. In order to calculate the amount of space in seconds, take a look at a fixed object ahead of you on the road such as a street sign or light post. Once the vehicle in front of you passes that fixed object, count to see how long it takes you to pass that object as well. If you count less than three seconds, more space is recommended to be added between you and the vehicle in front of you. In general, as your vehicle’s speed increases, the time it takes for the vehicle to stop also increases. Therefore, a greater following distance should be observed.

Larger vehicles and other conditions
The amount of space or seconds of following distance should be increased when driving a larger vehicle or while driving during poor weather conditions, past construction zones, or over and around road debris or dips and bumps in the road. In any of these cases, a following distance of six seconds is recommended.
Leaving a safe following distance between you and the vehicle in front of you will help give you more time to react to any potential hazards, and may help reduce the likelihood of a motor vehicle collision.

Practicing these safe driving habits may help reduce the likelihood of vehicle collisions due to driver error. For more information regarding driver safety and auto insurance, please contact Lawley at 716.849.8618.

Acadia Insurance is pleased to share this material with its customers. Please note, however, that nothing in this document should be construed as legal advice or the provision of professional consulting services. This material is for general informational purposes only, and while reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this information, no warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness.