Two-second rule (road)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The two-second rule tells a defensive driver the minimum distance to avoid collision in ideal driving conditions. The red car's driver picks a tree to judge a two-second safety buffer.

The two-second rule is a safety guideline for use when driving a car or other motor vehicle on conventional roads, suggesting the minimum distance one ought to be from the vehicle in front. The claim is that the distance travelled in two seconds is that said minimum.

After the rear end of the car in front of you passes a notable static point on the road - e.g. a road sign, mailbox, line/crack/patch in the road - the front of your car should pass the same point no less than two seconds later.

One can count the duration of time simply by saying "one... two..." but for greater accuracy, it is suggested that drivers say "only a fool breaks the two-second rule" at normal speed. This sentence takes approximately two seconds to say, and serves as a reminder to the driver of the importance of the rule itself.

During poor weather or hazardous conditions, it is important to maintain an even further distance (three or four seconds) behind the car in front of you.

The two-second rule is useful as it works at any speed. Drivers can find it difficult to estimate the correct distance from the car in front, never mind trying to remember the stopping distances that are required. The two-second rule gets around these problems, and provides a simple and common-sense way of maintaining road safety.