How to Determine the Distance of the Vehicle Behind?
2 Answers
It is necessary to properly adjust the left and right rearview mirrors and pay attention to whether the vehicle behind is accelerating. The following is a detailed introduction on how to determine the distance of the vehicle behind: 1. Adjust the rearview mirrors: First, adjust the rearview mirrors properly. The standard for adjusting the side mirrors is to be able to see the door handles of your own rear doors, with the height of the door handles at the middle level of the mirrors. There is a saying that objects appear larger when they are closer. In summary, the larger the vehicle behind appears in the rearview mirror, the closer it is to you. 2. Pay attention to the acceleration behavior of the vehicle behind: When changing lanes during normal driving, in addition to judging the distance between the vehicle behind and yourself, you also need to pay attention to whether the vehicle behind is accelerating, or whether its speed is higher than your driving speed. Turn signals are essential.
As someone who commutes by car regularly, I believe the most basic method to judge the distance of vehicles behind you is by using the rearview mirror. When you're in the driver's seat, you can estimate the distance by observing the size of the following vehicle's image in the mirror: if the car appears as a small dot positioned high, it's generally over 50 meters away; if the car's front fills half the mirror, the distance is likely within 10 meters and very close. I recommend frequently using the side mirrors in combination—for example, quickly glancing at the side mirror when changing lanes to check if the car body is clearly visible, avoiding blind spots. Also, consider the sound and speed—if you hear the engine noise getting louder on the highway, the distance is definitely closing. With practice, you'll develop an intuition. I drive at night weekly and have noticed that the brightness of taillights can help estimate distance: the brighter the light, the closer the car. Always prioritize safety—don’t rush to change lanes; confirm multiple times in the mirrors first.
