How to Judge the Distance to Vehicles on the Left, Right, Front, and Rear While Driving
2 Answers
Methods to judge the distance to vehicles on the left, right, front, and rear while driving: The distance to the rear vehicle can be estimated based on the size of the vehicle's reflection in the rearview mirror. When the reflection occupies the entire mirror, the distance is 3 meters; when it occupies two-thirds of the mirror, the distance is 5 meters; when it occupies half of the mirror, the distance is 9 meters; and when it occupies one-third of the mirror, the distance is 12 meters. The distance to the front vehicle can be determined by observing the position of the rear bumper and tires of the front vehicle from the contour line of your own car's front. When the upper edge of the front vehicle's rear bumper is visible, the distance is 1 meter; when the lower edge of the rear bumper is visible, the distance is 2 meters; and when the lower edge of the rear tires is visible, the distance is 3 meters.
From my over ten years of driving experience, judging the distance between cars relies on rearview mirrors and body perception. To judge the distance of the car behind, observe the size of the vehicle in the rearview mirror. If the car appears too small, only a bit of light is visible, it might be too close; normally, the car should occupy about half of the rearview mirror to be safe. For the left and right sides, use the side mirrors, adjust the angle properly, and observe the position of adjacent vehicles in the mirror: if you can see the entire body of the car, the distance is definitely over three meters, which is very safe. For the distance in front, I'm used to the two-second rule, using a roadside point as a reference. If I don't reach the point within two seconds, it's okay. Be especially careful on highways or in rainy weather, increasing the distance. With more practice, it becomes instinctive. When I was a beginner, I often drove too close, but now I prefer to go slower and leave space, as a single rear-end collision can cause big trouble.
