Nashville Auto Accident Attorney Talks About Proper Distance Between Vehicles On State And Federal Highways
Following Too Closely
A recent Tennessee tractor-trailer rollover crash on I-24 in Rutherford County, and the subsequent ramming of the truck by another vehicle, brings to mind an important concept in driving safety. How far should you be from the vehicle in front of you? The Tennessee Rules Of The Road give a good guidance on this issue.
There are several driving events that require intense concentration by the driver. A driver must always be on the defensive—thinking about what other drivers might do AND be prepared to respond with proper reactions. In addition, certain conditions, especially bad weather, trigger the need for special knowledge and skills.
To share the road safely, stay a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. Nationally, safety agencies and driver education programs have tried to define a safe following distance for drivers to maintain. This has ranged from a two to four second following distance. Use the following tips to determine if you are following too closely:
A. As the car ahead of you passes a stationary point on the road (a sign post, driveway, utility pole, etc.), count the seconds it takes you to reach the same spot.
B. Count to yourself “one-thousand and one, one thousand and two,” etc. You should NOT reach the same point on the road before you finish counting to at least “one-thousand-two.” If you do, you are following too closely.
C. Slow down slightly to increase the space between you and the other vehicle. Find another spot to check your new following distance. Repeat this exercise until you are following no closer than two seconds.
This principle will hold true at any speed on state and federal highway with moderate speed limits. However, during inclement weather, interstate highway driving at higher speeds and night driving, the two-second rule should be increased to allow for improved visibility. A minimum of four seconds should allow for better reaction time and a safer space cushion under these conditions.
If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident caused by a driver who was following too closely contact the experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.
Phillip Miller is a Tennessee Accident Attorney specializing in
Phillip has an AVVO rating of 10.0 (Superb), has been designated as a “Superlawyer”, and is the President Elect of the Tennessee Association for Justice.
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