In good weather conditions, you are required to keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of you. You should keep at least…?
- A one second gap to the other vehicle
- A two second gap to the other vehicle ✓
- Five car lengths behind the other vehicle
- Seven car lengths behind the other vehicle
Answer: B. A two second gap to the other vehicle
You should keep at least a two-second gap to the vehicle in front of you.
Why this is the answer
The handbook gives a general rule for following another vehicle: leave enough space to stop safely if it brakes suddenly. It states that a safe following distance is at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead, which also lets you see around it. The handbook notes this two-second rule is a minimum for ideal driving conditions, and you need more space in situations such as bad weather.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. A one second gap to the other vehicle — A one-second gap is shorter than the handbook's minimum two-second following distance, so it does not give enough space to stop safely.
- C. Five car lengths behind the other vehicle — Five car lengths is not the handbook's stated rule, because the handbook measures following distance in seconds rather than car lengths.
- D. Seven car lengths behind the other vehicle — Seven car lengths is not the handbook's stated rule, because the handbook uses a time gap in seconds, not a number of car lengths.
Remember it
Pick a fixed marker ahead and count one thousand and one, one thousand and two; if you reach it early, you are too close.
Official handbook: Official MTO Driver's Handbook, Driving along – Maintaining space