Question

At highway speeds, on a dry road, a safe following distance is at least ________.

1) 2 car lengths
2) 3 seconds
3) 10 miles per hour
4) 500 feet

Answer 1

At highway speeds, on a dry road, a safe following distance is at least 3 seconds, known as the 3-second rule. It ensures enough time to react and maintain safety on the road, translating to more than 2 car lengths at 60 km/h.

Step-by-step explanation:

At highway speeds, on a dry road, a safe following distance is at least 3 seconds. This rule is commonly known as the 3-second rule, which helps drivers maintain a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of them. It compensates for reaction time and allows sufficient time and distance to respond to problems on the highway. To determine this distance, you select a fixed object on the road ahead and count the time it takes for your car to reach that object after the car in front of you has passed it. If it is less than 3 seconds, you need to increase the distance between you and the car in front of you.

Considering the average length of a car is 3.5 meters and at a speed of 60 km/h, this following distance correlates to more than 2 car lengths. Specifically, if a car travels 50 meters in 3 seconds as Bridget observed, a safe following distance at highway speeds would be significantly greater than that amount to ensure adequate stopping distance and time for reaction.