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What is a Safe Following Distance?

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

Phoenix666 writes:

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: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 12 2017, @11:36PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 12 2017, @11:36PM (#581439)

    Obviously the correct answer is to brake as hard as you can a the last minute. Bonus points if you can magnify any waves of stopped traffic.

    (Traffic jams move in waves. You win if you've made the crest of stopped traffic two or three cars longer than it was before.)

    This has the added advantage of reducing your gas mileage. The optimal driving pattern should have your brake lights strobing: *GAS* *BRAKE* *GAS* *BRAKE* *GAS* *BRAKE* *GAS* *BREAK*!!!

    That's what everybody else does, and if I've learned one thing about humans, if everybody else jumps off a cliff, don't be the last one to take a dive!

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  • (Score: 2) by choose another one on Friday October 13 2017, @08:19AM

    by choose another one (515) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 13 2017, @08:19AM (#581634)

    if everybody else jumps off a cliff, don't be the last one to take a dive!

    *confused* - surely you want to be last, not first, when jumping off a cliff?
    Doesn't landing on a big pile of bodies beat landing on rocks and then being landed on by other bodies?

  • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 13 2017, @08:24AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 13 2017, @08:24AM (#581637)

    and if I've learned one thing about humans, if everybody else jumps off a cliff, don't be the last one to take a dive!

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4665511.stm [bbc.co.uk]

    First one sheep went over the cliff edge, only to be followed by the whole flock, according to the reports.

    More than 400 sheep died in the 15-metre fall - their bodies cushioning the fall of 1,100 others who followed.

    Better to be late than belated ;).