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5. Safe following distances

Safe following distances

You must drive a sufficient distance behind a vehicle travelling in front of you so you can, if necessary, stop safely to avoid a collision.

Safe following distances vary depending on what speed you are travelling, what conditions you are driving in and what type of vehicle you are driving. In most cases, a safe following distance is much greater than a car length.

In general:

• A driver in a car should drive at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front in ideal conditions.
• A vehicle towing a trailer or caravan should allow two seconds, plus one second for each 3 metres of trailer.

Remember to also:

• double your following distance in poor conditions
• increase your following distance if you are driving a heavy vehicle

Time-lapse method

Use the time-lapse method to keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front:

1. Pick a mark on the road or an object close to the left-hand side of the road, such as a power or light pole.
2. When the rear of the vehicle ahead passes the object, count ‘one thousand one, one thousand two’ (this takes about two seconds).
3. If the front of your vehicle passes the object before you finish counting, you are too close, so drop back.

Visit our Here for Life website to view an animated video on Following distances (tailgating).

More information on stopping distances is available.