Don’t follow other cars too closely because:
- You may not see the road between the cars.
- You may not have time to stop if the vehicle in front of you slows or stops suddenly. ✓
- You may not see the vehicle's turn signals.
- You may not see the other vehicle’s brake lights.
Answer: B. You may not have time to stop if the vehicle in front of you slows or stops suddenly.
Don’t follow other cars too closely because you may not have time to stop if the vehicle in front slows or stops suddenly.
Why this is the answer
The handbook ties most rear-end crashes to tailgating. A large enough following distance gives you more time to react to the vehicle ahead. If you are too close and that vehicle slows or stops suddenly, you have less room and time to respond, so you may not be able to stop in time. The handbook recommends keeping a minimum four-second following distance in good weather and traffic.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. You may not see the road between the cars. — The handbook does not give trouble seeing the road between cars as the reason to keep distance; it ties close following to rear-end crashes and reduced reaction time.
- C. You may not see the vehicle's turn signals. — The handbook does not mention turn signals as the reason; its point is the time and space needed to respond to the car ahead.
- D. You may not see the other vehicle’s brake lights. — Brake lights are not the reason given in the handbook; it focuses on having enough distance and reaction time to avoid hitting the vehicle ahead.
Remember it
Think of following distance as your stopping cushion: the bigger the gap, the more time you have to react.