It is often said that you should leave “one car length” for every 10 mph of travel. That means if you’re going 20 mph you should leave two car lengths between you and the car in front of you. But is that really enough?
At 20 mph it takes about 88 feet to stop a car. That’s more than 16 car lengths! And that’s in ideal conditions. If the roads are wet or slippery it could take even longer to stop.
So how much space should you really leave between you and the car in front of you?
The general rule of thumb is to leave at least two seconds between you and the car in front of you. But in some cases you might need to leave even more space.
If you’re driving in adverse conditions (like wet weather) you should leave four or five seconds between you and the car in front of you.
And if you’re driving a large vehicle (like a truck or SUV) you should leave even more space – at least five or six seconds.
Of course it’s not always possible to leave that much space. If traffic is heavy you might not be able to leave more than a second or two. And in some cases you might not be able to leave any space at all.
But in general it’s best to err on the side of caution and leave more space than you think you need. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
How many car lengths should you leave between you and the car in front of you when driving?
You should leave one car length for every ten miles per hour that you’re driving.
How do you know if you’re leaving enough space between you and the car in front of you?
A good rule of thumb is to leave one car length for every ten miles per hour that you’re driving.
What should you do if you can’t see the car in front of you?
If you can’t see the car in front of you you should slow down and be prepared to stop.
What should you do if the car in front of you suddenly stops?
If the car in front of you sudden stops you should stop.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when driving in bad weather or on slippery roads.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are carrying a heavy load.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are towing a trailer.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when driving at night.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are driving in unfamiliar territory.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are driving in heavy traffic.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are driving on a winding road.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are driving on a narrow road.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are driving on a dirt road.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are driving in a construction zone.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when _______.
You should leave extra space between you and the car in front of you when you are driving in an area where deer are known to cross the road.
