Maintaining Safe Following Distance While Driving a 40-Foot Vehicle at 30 MPH
Importance of Maintaining Safe Following Distance
How to Determine the Minimum Safe Following Distance
To apply the "3-second rule," follow these steps: 1. Pick a stationary object on the road, such as a sign, a tree, or a lamppost, that is even with the vehicle in front of you. 2. When the vehicle ahead passes the object, start counting "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three." 3. If you reach the object before finishing counting, you are following too closely and should increase your distance. In general, the minimum safe following distance for a 40-foot vehicle traveling at 30 MPH is around six seconds or more, depending on road and weather conditions.You are driving a 40 foot vehicle at 30 MPH. The road is dry and visibility is good. What is the least amount of space that you should keep in front of your vehicle to be safe?
When driving a 40-foot vehicle at 30 MPH with good visibility and a dry road, it's important to maintain a safe following distance to prevent accidents. The Commercial Driver Handbook recommends the "3-second rule" as a general guideline to maintain a safe following distance. To apply the rule, you should: Pick a stationary object on the road, like a sign, a tree, or a lamppost, that is even with the vehicle in front of you. When the vehicle in front of you passes the object, start counting "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three." If you reach the object before finishing counting, you are following too closely and should increase your distance. In general, the minimum safe following distance for a 40-foot vehicle traveling at 30 MPH is around six seconds or more, depending on road and weather conditions.