What is the safe distance to keep between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you?

Maintaining a safe following distance is crucial for road safety, as it provides enough time to react to sudden stops or emergencies. A distance of at least two seconds allows drivers to gauge their space from the vehicle ahead accurately. This rule is based on the principle that you need enough reaction time to avoid a collision, particularly in varying traffic or weather conditions.

When driving, counting to two seconds gives you a buffer that can help in several situations, such as wet roads, heavy traffic, or when driving above normal speeds. More advanced driving situations or adverse weather conditions may require an even greater following distance, but the minimum of two seconds serves as a reliable guideline for most driving situations. This time interval helps to ensure that you have enough room to stop safely and avoid rear-end collisions.