How to judge the distance between the front of the car and the car in front?
4 Answers
You can judge the distance between the front of your car and the car in front based on the sightlines of the front car's tires, bumper, and license plate. Below are the relevant methods for judging the distance between the front of your car and the car in front: 1. Tire sightline method: When the front of your car aligns with the sightline of the front car's tires, from the driver's seat, stop when the driver's sightline, the front of the car's sightline, and the front car's tire sightline are all in a straight line. The measured distance at this point is approximately 5 meters. 2. Bumper sightline method: (1) When the front of your car aligns with the upper sightline of the front car's bumper, from the driver's seat, stop when the driver's sightline, the front of the car's sightline, and the upper sightline of the front car's bumper are all in a straight line. The measured distance at this point is approximately 1 meter. (2) When the front of your car aligns with the lower sightline of the front car's bumper, from the driver's seat, stop when the driver's sightline, the front of the car's sightline, and the lower sightline of the front car's bumper are all in a straight line. The measured distance at this point is approximately 3 meters. 3. License plate sightline method: When the front of your car aligns with the lower sightline of the front car's license plate, from the driver's seat, stop when the driver's sightline, the front of the car's sightline, and the lower sightline of the front car's license plate are all in a straight line. The measured distance at this point is approximately 0.5 meters.
After years of driving, my favorite simple method to estimate the distance between my car’s front end and the vehicle ahead is: first adjust the seat and rearview mirror angles, then observe the position of the front car’s tires in the windshield when driving at low speed or stopped. For example, if the front wheel just touches the edge of my hood, the distance is about 1-2 meters, which is very safe; if the entire wheel is below my line of sight, the distance is too close. When reversing, I use the interior rearview mirror as a reference—once the taillights of the car ahead are fully visible, I slow down. Different car models have varying hood heights, so I recommend practicing in an empty parking lot: park next to a fixed car, move your own car slowly, and mark a reference point to improve accuracy. This method has helped me avoid many minor scrapes, especially on rainy days when visibility is poor—keeping a little extra space never hurts. Driving experience comes with practice, so before every trip, I check my reference points to ensure everything is foolproof.
Nowadays, vehicle technology has advanced, and many cars come with built-in assistance features to help us judge distances. For example, parking sensors or cameras can emit sounds or display images to warn of nearby hazards; higher-end models even have forward collision systems that directly display distance numbers on the dashboard, which is super practical. However, don’t rely solely on these aids. Personally, I find visual observation more reliable: while driving, I check the position of the rear bumper of the car ahead relative to my windshield. If the top of the bumper is near the upper edge, it means I’m getting dangerously close; if it’s in the middle or lower part, it’s safe. I also prefer adjusting my rearview mirror angle and observing changes in the outline of the car ahead when reversing. Technology is a helpful tool, but in congested traffic, I remind everyone to leave enough space and practice fundamental skills. Safe driving starts with personal expertise.
When I first started learning to drive, I was very inexperienced in judging distances. An experienced driver taught me a handy trick: when parking, observe the position of the front car's tires. If you can see the entire rear tire at the lower part of your view, there's still plenty of space. If only half of the tire is visible, you're too close and need to adjust. Another method is to use a reference point like the roadside line or shadows. When the shadow of your car's front covers the bottom of the car in front, the distance is just right. I used to get nervous when I first started, so I always slowed down to check before moving off and practiced finding reference points in the rearview mirror.
