Following distance

Following distance is the space between the back of a vehicle and the front of the following vehicle in traffic.

In the Australian state of New South Wales, 3 seconds of following distance is recommended. In Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, 2 seconds is recommended.

In the European Union, the two-second rule is recommended, and in some European countries there are penalties for maintaining lower distances.

In the European Union, the term "failing to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front" is used in the Directive (EU) 2015/413 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2015 facilitating cross-border exchange of information on road-safety-related traffic offences. In this directive "failing to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front" means not maintaining sufficient distance from the vehicle in front, as defined in the law of the Member State of the offence.

In the UK, it is recommended that 2 seconds of following distance is maintained.

In the US, for safety it is recommended that 3-4 seconds of following distance is maintained. Extra time should be added for wet, rainy, slippery, foggy or other weather situations accordingly. For heavy duty commercial vehicles it is recommended 4-6 seconds following distance for speeds under 30 mi/h (48 km/h), and 6-8 seconds following distance for speeds over 30 mi/h (48 km/h). Rear-end collisions are the number one type of traffic collisions.

• Assured clear distance ahead
• Braking distance
• Hydroplaning
• Road collision types
• Tailgating
• Two-second rule