In good weather, what is the minimum following distance you should maintain between your vehicle and a motorcycle in front of you?
- 3 seconds ✓
- 2 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 5 seconds
Answer: A. 3 seconds
When you are behind a motorcycle in good weather, keep at least a three-second following distance.
Why this is the answer
The handbook sets a general minimum of two seconds in good conditions, but it names motorcycles as a special case. Because a motorcycle can stop very quickly, and a rider can skid and fall on poor road surfaces, you are told to allow at least three seconds of space when following one. That extra second gives you room to react and stop safely instead of closing in on the rider.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. 2 seconds — Two seconds is the general space-in-front minimum for ordinary vehicles in good conditions, not the larger margin the handbook asks for behind a motorcycle.
- C. 10 seconds — Ten seconds is far more than any following distance the passages mention, so it is not the stated minimum.
- D. 5 seconds — Five seconds is not a following distance the handbook gives for following a motorcycle in good weather.
Remember it
Think of the motorcycle as the vehicle that can stop on a dime, so give it one extra second over the normal gap.