Following distance — Alabama Permit Test

Most rear-end collisions are caused by following too closely; use the two-second rule to keep a safe following distance.

Two seconds gives you time to see the car ahead brake and to stop before you reach it.

Recently, a new formula was introduced which is even more positive and easier to apply, the “two-second rule.”

To use the two-second rule, pick a fixed object ahead; when the vehicle ahead passes it, count "one thousand one, one thousand two," and if you reach the object first you are following too closely.

Counting turns a guess about distance into something you can measure at any speed.

If you reach the same object before you finish saying “one thousand two,” you are following too closely and should gradually slow down until you’ve reached the safe following distance.

If the road and weather conditions are not good, increase your following distance to a four or five second count; the longer count also applies when driving vehicles longer than cars.

Wet or icy roads and heavier vehicles need more room to stop, so the gap has to grow with them.

If the road and weather conditions are not good, increase your following distance to a four or five second count.

The old rule of thumb for following distance was one car length for every ten miles per hour.

The two-second rule replaced it because seconds are easier to judge than car lengths.

For years, the rule-of-thumb formula for following distance was one car length for every ten miles per hour.

Watch for brake lights on the vehicle ahead, and if you see them or notice the gap shrinking, move your foot to the brake pedal promptly.

Having your foot ready saves the fraction of a second it takes to find the pedal.

If you see brake lights or notice the following distance getting less, shift your foot to the brake pedal promptly so you are ready to stop if necessary.

What following distance does the Alabama manual recommend in good conditions?

2 seconds. Two seconds gives you time to see the car ahead brake and to stop before you reach it. Alabama Driver Manual, p.36: “Recently, a new formula was introduced which is even more positive and easier to apply, the “two-second rule.””