"You are too close." How to properly calculate the distance on the road was explained by the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate.

      The too short distance between cars is one of the most common causes of accidents on Ural roads. Most drivers are confident that they will always have time to hit the brakes, reported the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of Russia in the Sverdlovsk region. However, at a speed of 90 km/h, a car covers 25 meters — the length of four city buses — in just one second.

      The State Traffic Safety Inspectorate of the Sverdlovsk region explains how easy and accurate it is to calculate a safe distance in traffic.

      "The three-second rule": a simple calculation without measuring tapes.

      Estimating the distance in meters at speed is a complex and inaccurate task. It is much more reliable to measure the distance in seconds. Under normal conditions on dry asphalt, the safe interval to the car in front is 3 seconds.

      How to check yourself behind the wheel:

      1. Choose any stationary object by the road: a traffic sign, a pole, or a tree.

      2. As soon as the rear bumper of the car in front aligns with this sign, count to yourself: "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three."

      3. If your hood passes this sign before you finish counting, gently reduce your speed. You are too close.

      Why exactly 3 seconds?

      One second is spent by the brain to recognize the danger and move the foot to the pedal. Another second is required for the braking system to create the necessary pressure in the hoses. And one more is your safety margin if the car in front brakes suddenly.

      Three seconds is the minimum for dry surfaces. Weather changes the rules.

      As soon as conditions worsen, the count needs to be increased:

      Rain and wet asphalt: maintain a distance of 4 seconds.

      Snowfall and dark hours: at least 5 seconds.

      Icy roads: 6-8 seconds.

      A simple formula for slippery roads: the distance in meters should be no less than half your speed. Driving at 60 km/h — keep at least 30-40 meters from the car in front.

      Safety marker at traffic lights.

      Distance mistakes also occur in traffic jams. When approaching a stationary car in front, stop so that from your position you can clearly see its rear wheels and the spot where they touch the asphalt.

      If you can only see someone else's trunk — you have stopped too close. In the event of a rear-end collision, your car will chain-react and damage the front one, and if the neighbor in front stalls, you won't be able to bypass him without maneuvering in reverse.

      Maintaining distance is not a waste of time, but a guaranteed way to reach your destination without calling a tow truck and filing an accident report.