Welcome to Washington Auto Collision of Spokane Valley WA!
At Washington Auto Collision, we love it when we are presented with an opportunity to help another person. We are here to put your car back together! Locally owned and operated since 1979, autobody repair runs in family owned staff’... Read More
Is Your Car On The "Most Hackable" List?
Many car experts were not shocked when some “white-hat” hackers managed to remotely control a Jeep Cherokee, disabling many of its functio...
The History Of The Designated Driver
When you hear the words "designated driver"--what do you first think about? Maybe you've had a bad experience being a designated driver ...
Top Five Roadside Attractions In The Northwest
Traveling through the northwest part of the United States? Whether it’s a long or short journey, you never know what interesting things you’ll see...
The Three-Second Rule Allows You to Maintain a Safe Following Distance While Driving
Have you heard of the three-second rule? No, we’re not talking about the three-second rule in basketball, or the one that says if you drop your food on the floor it’s safe to eat.
What we at Washington Auto Collision are talking about is how to use the three-second rule when you drive and preventing accidents as a result.
It’s a simple way to ensure that you are driving a safe distance behind the car in front of you.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-end collisions are the most common type of accidents on the road and account for 29% of all crashes. They almost always occur when there is not enough time for you to react after the car ahead of you stops suddenly or slows down unexpectedly.
Having a three-second buffer between you and another car will help you avoid getting into an accident, here in Spokane Valley, WA or anywhere else you're traveling to.
How to Use the Three-Second Rule
When driving around Spokane Valley with light traffic and good road conditions, find a point of reference in front of you such as a sign, tree or line on the road. When the vehicle in front of you passes that object, start counting slowly: one, one thousand. Two, one thousand. Three, one thousand.
If you pass the object before you stop counting, you are following too closely. Decrease your speed and try again. Otherwise, you can be assured that you are following at a safe driving distance.
When to Increase the Distance
Sometimes three seconds isn’t enough. The American Automobile Association recommends leaving a four-second gap on the highway. If it is nighttime, traffic is busy, or you are driving in less than ideal conditions with poor visibility, many recommend increasing your following distance to six seconds. When road conditions are very bad, you can triple the distance to nine seconds.
Other times to increase your distance include when you are tired, you have an unusually talkative person in the car with you or there are other distractions.
Stopping Distance
Stopping distance is made up of your reaction time and braking distance. The reaction time is the time it takes for a driver to decide whether or not to brake, lift his/her foot off of the gas pedal and press the brake pedal down. The braking distance is the physical time spent braking, so the car will come to a complete stop.
Drivers need to allow enough time for both, which is why it is important to leave plenty of space between you and other vehicles.
Tailgating
By following the three-second rule, you can also avoid tailgating, which is when you follow a car too closely. There is no benefit to tailgating. You won’t reach your destination any quicker and it only increases your chances of having a collision.
Try not to worry about tailgaters behind you who think you are leaving too much space. Remain calm, maintain a constant speed and consider pulling over to allow the vehicle to pass you.
The three-second rule works at any speed. It could save your life, so start counting!
Sources: NHTSA, AAA and Wikipedia
Body Shop Specials
Body Shop Photos
Body Shop Videos
Body Shop About
Body Shop Contact
Body Shop Cs Thanks
Body Shop Apt Thanks
Body Shop How It Works
Body Shop Listen
Body Shop Review Sort
Body Shop Certifications
We use cookies to personalise content and ads and to analyze our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of other services.
Social