STOP TRACKING THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU TOO CLOSE

STOP TRACKING THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU TOO CLOSE


 
STOP TRACKING THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU TOO CLOSE
Is congestion returning in the morning after more than a year of trouble-free driving? Is the pandemic starting to weigh heavily on the shoulders of the population? In just two weeks, I have witnessed three similar accidents. The first on the Laurentian highway, the second on the Eastern Townships highway and the last yesterday on the 132 near St-Lambert. In all three cases, traffic suddenly slowed down and a vehicle following too closely crashed into the trunk of the car in front of it. Accidents yet easy to avoid.

THE RULE OF THREE SECONDS
Rear-end collisions are the most common traffic accidents, depending on the region in North America, accounting for between 25% and 30% of all traffic incidents. The reason is the same every time. The driver does not have enough time to react and collides with the vehicle in front of them. The rule is very simple, just increase the distance between you and the vehicles ahead. A simple rule is that of three seconds. If, for example, you are on a highway, take a lamppost as a reference. When the car in front of you passes a lamppost, count a thousand and one, a thousand and two, a thousand and three. You should have about two street lights between you and the vehicle in front. This gives you enough time to react if someone brakes in front of you.

SOMETIMES THREE SECONDS ARE NOT ENOUGH
The three second rule is recommended in ideal road and weather conditions. In other words, the three seconds apply if you are daytime in summer. If you are driving a larger, heavier vehicle, or towing a trailer, you need to increase your distance. If you are traveling at night, in heavy rain or in snow, it is recommended to double this distance due to poor visibility which does not allow you to react as quickly.

BE CAREFUL OF DISTRACTIONS
Distractions, such as texting, eating or drinking while driving, or playing in the navigation system, also play a role in rear end collisions. Even if you apply the three-second rule, you may not have time to react to a danger if you are distracted. This is another reason why you should avoid distracted driving.