How to Determine the Distance Between Vehicles
2 Answers
You can estimate the distance by visually observing how much of the rear of the vehicle in front is obscured by your vehicle's front. Here are specific methods: 1. When the edge of your car's front aligns with the lower edge of the front vehicle's tire: This indicates a distance of approximately 5 meters. 2. When the edge of your car's front aligns with the lower edge of the front vehicle's bumper: This indicates a distance of approximately 3 meters. 3. When the edge of your car's front aligns with the upper edge of the front vehicle's bumper: This indicates a distance of approximately 1 meter.
Judging the distance between cars is a core skill I've learned over years of driving. I mainly rely on visual references: when looking at the following car in the rearview mirror, if it appears as a small dot, the distance is safe; if it almost fills the mirror, it's too close and needs adjustment. Another common method is the two-second rule—focus on a road marker or shadow the car ahead passes, then start counting 'one thousand one, one thousand two.' If I haven't passed it by the time I finish counting, I'm maintaining a proper distance, which is especially helpful on highways. In bad weather like heavy rain or thick fog, I add an extra second as a buffer to prevent accidents. When parking, I check the bottom of the front car's tires and the hood: if the lower part of the tires is fully visible, the distance is sufficient; otherwise, I need to be careful to avoid scraping. At first, I was also flustered, but after frequent city or highway driving, these small techniques became second nature. Remember, car distance is about safety—don't sacrifice distance for speed and add risks. Observe more, adapt to different road conditions, and there won't be any collision surprises.
