What is the safe distance for a car?
2 Answers
The safe distance for a car is: 1. Maintain 40 meters when the speed is 40 kilometers per hour; 2. Maintain 60 meters when the speed is 60 kilometers per hour; 3. Maintain 10 meters when the speed drops to 20 kilometers per hour; 4. Maintain 5 meters when the speed is 15 kilometers per hour. The safe distance refers to the necessary gap that the following vehicle maintains with the vehicle ahead to avoid accidental collisions while driving. The methods to judge the distance while driving are: 1. When the lower edge of the rear wheel of the front vehicle is level with the lower edge of the windshield, the distance is about 3 to 5 meters; 2. When the lower edge of the front vehicle's bumper is level with the lower edge of the windshield, the distance is about 2 meters; 3. When the upper edge of the front vehicle's bumper is level with the lower edge of the windshield, the distance is about 0.5 to 1 meter.
People who have driven for decades say a safe distance means not following the car in front too closely to avoid rear-ending during sudden braking. I prefer the three-second rule: on the highway, pick a landmark, and when the car ahead passes it, count three seconds—if I reach it within three seconds, I’m too close. For example, at 100 km/h, the car travels 28 meters per second, so three seconds equals about 84 meters. In reality, conditions matter—on rainy or foggy days with poor visibility, I increase it to four or five seconds. If the car is older with weaker brakes, I leave even more space. Tire wear has a big impact; good tires can reduce braking distance by over 10%. A common mistake is tailgating when in a hurry, especially near highway exits where misjudgment is easy. Distractions are dangerous too—I barely check my phone, staying focused on the road ahead. Build good habits by practicing during daily commutes. Safety first—it’s okay to go slower, avoiding accidents is the real money-saver.
