Question

When the expressway is wet or slippery, your following distance should be at least _________ seconds?

1) 1
2) 2
3) 3
4) 4

Answer 1

On wet or slippery expressways, the following distance should be at least 4 seconds to ensure a safe stopping margin, taking into account both the driver's reaction time and the increased braking distance required.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the expressway is wet or slippery, your following distance should be at least 4 seconds. This recommendation is based on the fact that the distance necessary to stop a car varies greatly with road conditions and driver reaction time. If a car is traveling at 30.0 m/s and the driver has a 0.500 s reaction time, the car will continue to move for an additional 15.0 m just during the reaction time before any deceleration occurs.

On wet pavement, the braking distance will be longer than on dry pavement, so it is essential to increase the following distance to allow a safe stopping margin. Increasing your following distance to at least 4 seconds provides a longer buffer to accommodate both the initial reaction 'lag' and the longer stopping distance required on wet or slippery roads. Hence, the answer to the question is '4.'