What are the regulations for safe following distance?
1 Answers
There is no absolute standard for safe following distance, only dynamic standards. The most direct and important factor affecting safe following distance is vehicle speed. When the speed increases, the required braking force, braking distance, and the distance traveled at the original speed during the reaction time all increase accordingly. According to the laws of mechanics, a vehicle will continue to move forward for a certain distance during the time it takes to come to a complete stop from motion. If the following distance is too close, it is very easy to collide with the vehicle in front, causing a rear-end accident. To ensure that the following vehicle will not rear-end the vehicle in front under any extreme circumstances, the following vehicle must always maintain a certain distance from the vehicle in front, leaving enough braking space in case of emergencies. When the speed is above 100km/h, the safe following distance should be more than 100 meters. When the speed is above 60km/h, the safe following distance should be numerically equal to the speed. When the speed is around 50km/h, the safe following distance should not be less than 50 meters. When the speed is below 40km/h, the safe following distance should not be less than 30 meters. When the speed is below 20km/h, the safe following distance should not be less than 10 meters. On highways, each dashed lane divider line is 6 meters long, and the distance between lines is 9 meters, making a total of 21 meters for two white lines plus the space in between. Drivers can use this method to easily estimate the following distance.
