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posted by martyb on Thursday October 12 2017, @09:36PM   Printer-friendly
from the who-is-behind-whom? dept.

Confusion over what is a "safe following distance" has QUT [(Queensland University of Technology)] road safety researchers calling for a standardised definition to prevent tailgating.

  • Tailgating conclusively linked to rear-end crashes
  • Most drivers leave less than a 2 second gap between them and the vehicle in front
  • Rear-enders account for one in five Queensland crashes

Dr Sebastien Demmel, from QUT's Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety -- Queensland (CARRS-Q), said the results of the study which found 50 per cent of drivers tailgate, was being presented at the 2017 Australasian Road Safety Conference in Perth today.

"This study, for the first time conclusively linked tailgating with rear-end crashes, but we also identified confusion among drivers over what is deemed to be a safe following distance," he said.

"Despite drivers perceiving they are following at a safe distance, our on-road data showed that in reality most don't leave the recommended two to three second gap," he said.

"At some locations 55 per cent of drivers were found to leave less than a two second gap between them and the vehicle in front, and 44 per cent less than a one second [gap]."

A safe following distance is 5 feet. While looking at a smartphone.


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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by KilroySmith on Thursday October 12 2017, @10:42PM (8 children)

    by KilroySmith (2113) on Thursday October 12 2017, @10:42PM (#581401)

    >>>then you will get people squeezing in front of you every time you slow down to increase space.

    As someone who habitually maintains a 2 second following distance, let me be the first to say "Bullshit". My 20 mile freeway commute home in mostly heavy 65 mph traffic, with a good dose of 15 mph stop and go, indicates that roughly 5-10 more cars will squeeze in front of me than will leave the lane in front of me. Sum total of delay getting home = bupkus.
    And I've done this regularly in LA traffic, San Francisco traffic, and Phoenix traffic. Never been in NY, so couldn't comment there.

    You sound like the driver who gets bent out of shape by ANYONE getting in front of them.

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  • (Score: 2) by Arik on Thursday October 12 2017, @11:13PM (7 children)

    by Arik (4543) on Thursday October 12 2017, @11:13PM (#581419) Journal
    On average I don't think I disagree. Unfortunate fact is they tend to clump. No significant asshole delays for 4-5 trips doesn't stick in the mind, then on the next trip when it's nothing but asshole delays that REALLY sticks in ones mind.
    --
    If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by BK on Friday October 13 2017, @01:54AM (6 children)

      by BK (4868) on Friday October 13 2017, @01:54AM (#581493)

      At 55mph you travel 80 ft/sec +/-. 2 Seconds then is 160 ft/sec. Even in metric, that's a large distance... The typical midsize car is maybe 15 ft long. A 2 second break is more than 10 car-lengths. Leave that much in rush-hour traffic and someone will try something stupid.

      --
      ...but you HAVE heard of me.
      • (Score: 4, Touché) by Arik on Friday October 13 2017, @02:01AM

        by Arik (4543) on Friday October 13 2017, @02:01AM (#581498) Journal
        "Leave that much in rush-hour traffic and someone will try something stupid."

        And if you don't, then you're the one that tried something stupid.

        Damned either way, that's the insanity of it.
        --
        If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 13 2017, @07:08AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 13 2017, @07:08AM (#581612)

        "even in metric, that's a large distance..."
        this reminds me of an old saying: "what's heavier: a kilogram of lead or a kilogram of cotton candy?"

      • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Friday October 13 2017, @11:11AM (2 children)

        by Phoenix666 (552) on Friday October 13 2017, @11:11AM (#581688) Journal

        Safe following distance is safe following distance. It doesn't matter if it's rush hour traffic or not. Your goal is to get to your destination safely. The time you will save by speeding and tailgating is nothing next to the time it will take you to learn how to walk again after getting in the inevitable accident, or the time it will take for your friends and family to get over your death.

        --
        Washington DC delenda est.
        • (Score: 2) by BK on Friday October 13 2017, @03:07PM (1 child)

          by BK (4868) on Friday October 13 2017, @03:07PM (#581789)

          Safe following distance may be less in faster traffic. Long gaps encourage the crazies to weave through traffic.

          --
          ...but you HAVE heard of me.
          • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Friday October 13 2017, @03:41PM

            by Phoenix666 (552) on Friday October 13 2017, @03:41PM (#581815) Journal

            Crazies weave through traffic anyway. Long distances mean all the non-crazies will be safer.

            --
            Washington DC delenda est.
      • (Score: 2) by urza9814 on Friday October 13 2017, @12:33PM

        by urza9814 (3954) on Friday October 13 2017, @12:33PM (#581710) Journal

        At 55mph you travel 80 ft/sec +/-. 2 Seconds then is 160 ft/sec. Even in metric, that's a large distance... The typical midsize car is maybe 15 ft long. A 2 second break is more than 10 car-lengths. Leave that much in rush-hour traffic and someone will try something stupid.

        Christ, around here (Rhode Island), if you leave three car lengths at 70MPH people take that as a goddamn invitation!