Following too close? It's the leading cause of vehicle crashes in Carson City
The Carson City Sheriff's Office Traffic Division would like to educate the public on one of the major causes of crashes. Following a vehicle too closely causes rear end collisions. Rear end collisions are the most common crash in Carson City.
Nevada Revised Statue 484B.127 states that a vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.
This statute offers little in direction for drivers. What does the Nevada driver’s handbook teach new drivers about following vehicles? The following is a page taken from the 2019 Nevada Driver handbook:
Look ahead at least 12 seconds. This means at a minimum you look ahead to where your vehicle will be 12 seconds from now. To figure how far this is, choose a fixed object in front of you and begin counting, “one thousand one, one thousand two, etc.” until the front of your vehicle passes the object.
If you have not reached “one thousand twelve,” you need to be looking farther ahead. For example, at 30 mph you should see a little over a block ahead. The 12-second rule allows you to watch traffic patterns and react to changes. When you are driving at freeway speeds you need to look ahead at least 20 to 30 seconds.
Stay behind at least 2 seconds. If you are driving 40 mph or less, stay at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. This is a minimum following distance. Most driving instructors recommend up to 4 seconds. To figure this, start counting “one thousand one” when the rear of a vehicle ahead passes a fixed point, such as a sign. If you reach the sign before you have counted “one thousand two,” you are following too closely. Remember, the 2-second rule is a minimum following distance.
As your speed increases, so does the time and distance required for you to stop. For example, if you are traveling at 55 mph, you would need almost 7 seconds to stop with perfect brakes and ideal road conditions. So at highway speeds or at any speed when streets and roads are slippery and visibility is reduced, allow a safe distance between you and the next vehicle.
Following these simple tips from the driver’s handbook will prevent crashes and keep our city streets safer. Always remember, wear your seat belt and don’t text and drive. Put the phones down.