-
Giving yourself space as you drive
Find out why you need to make space between your vehicle and others.
In this topic
The following distance
Why you need to keep a safe following distances
Using the three-second rule
When to increase your following distance
Managing vehicles behind you
The safety bubble
Watching out for heavy vehicles
The following distance
Your following distance is the gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Always keep a safe following distance
Rear-end collisions are one of the most common crashes.
So make sure you leave a safe following distance in all conditions.
Using the three second rule
The three-second rule is how you can work out if you’re leaving a safe gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front.
Always drive at least three seconds from the vehicle in front of you and leave even more space in poor conditions.
While you’re still learning to drive, it’s a safe option to leave a larger gap than three seconds until you gain more experience.
When to increase your following distance
Some examples of when you should increase your following distance are:
- Driving in bad weather.
- When it's hard to see the road ahead.
- Driving on roads that are wet, slippery or in poor condition.
- Changing lanes.
- Driving at night.
- Driving on dirt or gravel roads.
- Driving in unfamiliar areas.
Managing vehicles behind you
If the vehicle behind you is following too close, then leave some extra space in front in case you need to brake.
Never feel pressured to speed up. You may even want to pull over and let other vehicles pass.
Use the three-second rule to reduce your risk of a crash. Always stay at least three seconds back from the vehicle in front of you and even more in poor conditions.
The safety bubble
Create a safety bubble from:
- Parked cars, in case a door opens.
- Other road users, including bike riders.
- Oncoming vehicles, in case they come on your side of the road.
Where you choose to position yourself on the road can change your level of risk.
Watching out for heavy vehicles
Heavy vehicles take longer to slow down and stop, which means they need more space around them.
They can also take up more than one lane, especially when turning.
So always give them extra space and avoid driving beside them.