At all times, drivers should strive to maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead of them. Tailgating reduces reaction time and leads to serious rear-end accidents, especially in an emergency.
A general rule of thumb when trying to gauge your following distance is simply to make sure that there are always three seconds between vehicles. There are two main reasons why this tactic works and helps keep people safe on the road.
The distance automatically adjusts
If you just looked at physical distance, such as trying to keep three car lengths between vehicles, it may not always be safe. At higher speeds, you need more physical space to bring the car to a halt in time. You need a larger following distance at 70 miles an hour on the interstate than you do at 25 miles an hour on a city street, for example.
By counting off time, however, the physical distance automatically changes if you go faster or slower. This makes it an easy and consistent way to judge when you are driving too closely to another car.
There is a delay in reaction time
Another thing to remember is that a following driver cannot react immediately. There is usually a delay of about one and a half seconds before they start slowing down.
As such, if you always have three seconds, there is plenty of time to account for this delay. You are still far enough away to stop safely.
Your options after a car accident
Unfortunately, there is always a chance that a tailgating driver could cause serious injuries when they rear-end your vehicle, even if you drive safely. When you suffer significant injuries in such a crash, be sure you know what legal options you have to seek financial compensation.