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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, 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?
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