What is the "two-second rule"?

The "two-second rule" is a guideline for maintaining a safe following distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you. This rule suggests that you should ideally stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead under normal driving conditions. The way to implement this is by picking a fixed point on the road, such as a sign or a tree. When the vehicle in front of you passes that point, you should count to two before your vehicle reaches the same point. This measures the time it takes to reach that point, ensuring that you have enough space to react to sudden stops or emergencies.

Maintaining this distance helps prevent rear-end collisions and allows drivers sufficient time to react if the vehicle in front of them suddenly slows down or stops. It is especially important in varying road conditions, such as rain, snow, or heavy traffic, where reaction times may need to be longer than two seconds.