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Keep Your Distance as You Learn to Drive in Wolverhampton

As you learn to drive in Wolverhampton, how many times do you hear of rear-end shunts and multiple car accidents from vehicles unable to stop in time?

It really is a very common incident on the road with over 400,000 accidents each year involving some sort of read-end collision.

However, there is something that can dramatically reduce the risk of these incidents and protect yourself and others from injury (and high insurance premiums); which is to keep the correct driving distance.

Keeping your distance is something you will be taught as you learn to drive in Wolverhampton with Homers Driving School. This is the correct minimum distance you should be from the vehicle in front of you in order to ensure a safe stopping distance.

So, what do you need to know about keeping your distance as you learn to drive in Wolverhampton? And how can it help you avoid future accidents?

Stopping Distances; What You Need to Know

The reason why it’s important to keep the correct distance while you learn to drive in Wolverhampton is because it prevents you from hitting the vehicle in front, especially if they need to perform an emergency break.

[Image from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158]

Many people feel that with modern car technology and anti-lock braking systems (ABS) that they don’t need to worry how far away they are from the car in front because they will always stop in time – however these advancements are designed to provide better control during breaking, and not to shorten stopping distances. They certainly don’t shorten reaction times which includes noticing a hazard, thinking time and pressing the breaks.

Therefore, the minimum following and stopping distances are important to know as you learn to drive in Wolverhampton to provide the best protection from accidents.

What is the Minimum Following Distance When Driving?

Part of your driving lessons in Wolverhampton with Homers, you will be taught the 2 second rule (or the 2 lamp post rule). This is because the minimum following distance is at least 2 seconds from the vehicle in front.

You can check if you are keeping the right distance by using lamp posts (or another point on the side of the road) as a guide. As the vehicle in front passes the lamp post, say “only a fool breaks the 2 second rule.” If you’ve finished saying this by the time you get to the lamp post, you are driving the correct following distance! If not, you’re driving too close.

Don’t forget, that if the road is wet, you’ll need to say it twice before you reach the lamp post as stopping distances are much longer in these conditions due to less friction on the road. In ice and snow, it can be 20 seconds between vehicles!

This practice has helped to reduce the risk of collision and applies to all speed limits, however it’s important to remember that 2 seconds is the minimum distance away from the car in front; so, as you learn to drive in Wolverhampton, remember that fast roads and less favourable driving conditions require you to maintain a greater distance away from the car in front.

What is the Minimum Distance in Stationary Traffic?

It’s not just following distances that you need to understand when learning to drive in Wolverhampton, but also the distance between stationary vehicles.

When pulling up to a stop behind a vehicle, perhaps in a queue or traffic, you should leave enough room between your vehicle and the one in front. This allows enough room to avoid an incident if they should roll backwards as they pull off or if you need to move around them should they break down… or even if you need to pull up to allow an emergency vehicle to come through behind you.

The distance you should leave depends on the vehicle in front. For cars, its best to follow the Tyres and Tarmac rule which is to stop so you can see the cars back wheels and about a foot of tarmac. This allows about half a car length in front. For larger vehicles, it’s best to leave enough room as required to see ahead of you.

Why Keep Your Distance?

Of course, learning to keep your distances during your driving lessons in Wolverhampton is important to avoid collisions or incidents on the road, but it’s also vital if you want to pass your driving test.

All driving test examiners will be checking to see if you are driving (or stopping) too close to the vehicles in front, which will most certainly result in a fail if you do.

So, remember, ‘only a fool breaks the 2 second rule.’ By keeping the correct driving distance you’ll not only avoid risks of rear-end collisions, but also make sure you are driving safely and correctly for your driving test.

To experience our expert support in teaching you to maintain the correct driving distances as you learn to drive in Wolverhampton – contact Homers Driving School here.