Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles

Road safety experts agree on a simple rule for maintaining a safe distance between vehicles, this being the two-second rule (2.7 seconds for lorries). A driver concentrating fully on the road is able in this time to notice a situation and to react to it – to start braking with the required intensity.

Compliance with the rule at a speed of 80 kilometres per hour equates to 60 metres.

Formulation of the rule for ensuring sufficient distances between vehicles according to the Road Traffic Act:

“The driver of a motor vehicle with a maximum permissible weight in excess of 3,500 kg, combination of vehicles, the total length of which exceeds 10 m, and the actual vehicle, outside of town, must maintain such a distance from the vehicle in front of him as to ensure that an overtaking vehicle is able to safely pull in in front of him; this does not apply if he is preparing to overtake, while overtaking and while driving parallel to another vehicle.”

Warning: The police are preparing to perform an increased number of checks on the maintenance of safe distances between vehicles.