Two-second rule

Two-second rule

The two-second rule is a rule of thumb intended to maintain a safe following distance when driving. The rule is that a driver should ideally try to stay at least two seconds behind any vehicle that is immediately in front of the driver's vehicle. It is intended for automobiles, although it is a general principle.

The two-second rule is useful as it works at any speed. Drivers can find it difficult to estimate the correct distance from the car in front, let alone to remember the stopping distances that are required for a given speed, or to compute the linear equation on the fly. The two-second rule gets around these problems, and provides a simple and common-sense way of maintaining road safety.

The practice is recommended to dramatically reduce risk of collision, and also the severity of an accident should an accident occur. It also helps to avoid tailgating and road rage for all drivers.

The risk of tailgating is largely caused by the accident avoidance time being much less than the driver reaction time. Driving instructors advocate that drivers always use the "2 second rule" regardless of speed or the type of road. During adverse weather or hazardous conditions, it is important to maintain an even further distance of three or four seconds behind the vehicle in front of you.

It tells a defensive driver the "minimum" distance needed to avoid collision in ideal driving conditions. The allotted two-seconds is a safety buffer, to allow the chasing driver time to react and respond.

The two-second rule is a safety guideline for use when driving a car or other motor vehicle on conventional roads, suggesting the minimum distance one ought to trail the vehicle in front. The claim is that the distance traveled in two seconds is the minimum safe following distance.

A method is generally needed to estimate the elapsed time, so that the driver can adjust accordingly. To estimate the time, wait until the rear end of the vehicle in front of you passes any distinct and fixed point on the roadway - e.g. a road sign, mailbox, line/crack/patch in the road. However, don't take your eyes off the road for more than a second or that would defeat the purpose. Watch or glance at this point as you count to yourself the elapsed time in seconds. Ideally, the front of your car should pass the same point no less than two seconds later. If the elapsed time is less than this, then slow down to increase the distance, then repeat the method again until the time is at least 2 seconds.

One can count the duration of time simply by saying "one... two..." but for greater accuracy, it is suggested that drivers say "only a fool breaks the two-second rule". At a normal speaking rate, this sentence takes approximately two seconds to say, and serves as a reminder to the driver of the importance of the rule itself.

ee also

*Tailgating

External links

* [http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/distance.html Tutorial: Keep Your Distance] - Traveling Safely behind other traffic - by Driving School Ireland
* [http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/rules_of_the_road/rr_chap10.html#vehicle_following_distances Vehicle Following Distances] - from Chapter 10 of the Illinois "Rules of the Road" manual
* [http://www.driversedguru.com/driving-articles/drivers-ed-extras/the-3-second-following-distance-rule/ How to practice following distance rules]


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