Why the 3-Second Rule Shouldn't be the “Golden Rule” In Safe Driving

You're probably familiar with the three-second rule of driving, which is the recommended minimum distance you should have when driving behind a car that's in front of you. So if the car in front of you suddenly brakes or stops to a halt, you still have enough time to react, hit your brakes, and maintain enough distance between the two of you. This helps avoid rear-end accidents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwgmOR8C7ak

The problem with the 3-second rule

While we think that the three-second rule has its merits, we think it's not enough, especially if you're just a new driver. Our suggestion: make the minimum stopping distance four seconds.

Using the three-second rule can be risky, since it only takes a short time for new drivers to take their eyes off the car in front of them and see possible risks ahead, on the side, and even from behind.

This limits the information they can use to make effective and correct decisions, and can lead to wrong reactions that can be risky--or even harmful for the driver and for those involved in the incident.

Besides, the minimum three-second rule is mostly tested under ideal road, car, and driver conditions. But we're not always driving under ideal surroundings here. There should be more leeway for mistakes to occur, since other factors can determine the distance you travel before the brakes stop completely. They can depend on the following:

• the car's speed
• the brake's conditon
• the tire's condition
• the road surface's condition
• the level of the road, whether it's on an incline, flat, or sloped
• driver's level of alertness

Use common sense

Of course, a driver should practice common sense here as well. The minimum driving distance we'd recommend is four seconds, but if the conditions are challenging to begin with, then adding an extra second for every three meters of the vehicle's length is recommended. And this applies to a car’s weight and size as well. Make sure to add a couple of seconds to your equation the heavier or larger your vehicle gets.

The weather's condition is also important. Ideally, if the weather's good, then four seconds is enough. However, if the weather’s acting up, or you're driving at night, or there is heavy traffic, then double the time it takes for you to stop--around eight seconds. And if the weather's really bad--like a tropical storm--then triple the digits to 12 seconds.

The three-second rule is a great practice that drivers should follow, especially for the experienced ones who drive regularly on highways. Still, this rule needs to be updated. There should be more distance for drivers to make errors while making the necessary adjustments accordingly. That way, vehicular accidents are lessened considerably on the road.

Here's a video that gives more information about the four-second rule:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB4U3udSpLc