Final answer:
It's essential to maintain a substantial gap in front of your vehicle for safety, which gives you sufficient time to respond and stop to avoid collisions. The safe distance to cross a road can be calculated based on the time it takes a pedestrian to cross and the distance a vehicle covers at the speed limit. If a car is only 28 meters away, it may not be safe to start crossing.
Step-by-step explanation:
You should always allow more space than normal in front of your vehicle when following another vehicle, especially in urban areas where the speed limit is typically 60 km/h. The safety distance allows for enough reaction time and braking distance needed to stop safely and prevent collisions. This principle can be applied not just to vehicle following distances but also to pedestrian safety when crossing roads.
When considering how far away a car must be before it's safe to cross, you should calculate the distance a car traveling at the speed limit covers while you walk the 4 meters necessary to clear the road safely. For example, with an average speed limit of 60 km/h (or 16.67 m/s), and walk speed of a pedestrian being about 1.4 m/s, it would take roughly 2.86 seconds to walk 4 meters. In that time, a car traveling at 60 km/h would cover about 47.6 meters. Therefore, the car should be at least that far away to cross safely.
Knowing this distance is crucial, as it can mean the difference between a safe crossing and a potentially hazardous situation. If we see a car driving toward us and it is 28 meters away, it may not be safe to walk across the road, as the vehicle would likely reach us before we can safely clear the crossing, depending on its speed. Adequate following distance can also be considered while driving, enabling enough time for the driver to react to sudden stops or roadway obstructions properly.