What is the following distance on the highway?
3 Answers
When driving on the highway, if the speed exceeds 100 kilometers per hour, the vehicle should maintain a distance of more than 100 meters from the vehicle in front in the same lane; if the speed is below 100 kilometers per hour, the distance can be appropriately reduced, but the minimum distance should not be less than 50 meters. Below is more information about following distance: 1. Safe following distance: Safe following distance refers to the necessary gap that a following vehicle maintains to avoid accidental collisions with the vehicle ahead. Maintaining a safe following distance is the most direct, effective, widespread, and fundamental method to prevent rear-end collisions. 2. Classification of following distance: Following distance includes two aspects: one is the distance between vehicles in front and behind; the other is the lateral distance when two vehicles are momentarily parallel during overtaking.
When I first got my driver's license, I often drove on highways. But after twenty years of driving, I finally realized how crucial maintaining a safe following distance really is. Generally, the 3-second rule is used for calculation: pick a fixed point on the roadside, like a tree or a sign, and when the car in front passes that point, you start counting '1001, 1002, 1003.' Your own car shouldn't reach that point before you finish counting. At a speed of 100 km/h, this roughly equals about 100 meters. In rainy or foggy conditions, I increase it to 4 or even 5 seconds because the road is slippery, and braking distance increases. When driving normally, I always remind myself to stay flexible and not follow too closely in case the car ahead suddenly brakes hard. In fact, most rear-end collisions on highways are caused by following too closely. Practicing this a few times makes it a habit, leading to safer and more stable driving.
Safety first is my top priority when driving on the highway. Remember a simple formula: divide your speed by 2 to get the approximate following distance in meters. For example, at 80 km/h, maintain a 40-meter gap. This method is easy to apply—just estimate using the roadside distance markers. I often hear friends say that accident-prone areas are where following distances are too short, so I maintain at least three car lengths under normal conditions, especially avoiding distractions like looking at my phone. Vehicle performance also affects braking; if the car is old or the tires are worn, I leave an extra 10-20 meters as a safety buffer. Once it becomes a habit, driving feels much more relaxed, and the risk of minor collisions is reduced.
