Rear-end collisions are one of the most common types of accidents these days. Large vehicles and even two-wheelers are involved in such accidents frequently. In our rush to reach home or office, people think less about maintaining a safe distance from vehicles in front and end up colliding with the vehicle in front.
Bumper to bumper driving
Some people prefer to drive close to the vehicle in front, which can be called bumper to bumper driving. In such a style of driving, hard braking could be necessary all the time. And, accidents could happen in the vehicle even if a collision does not take place. If a child is travelling in the car, imagine the impact a child's head could suffer under hard braking. And that too without a child seat.
Depending on the climate, you need to keep difference distances from the vehicle in front. For instance, when it is raining heavily, if the vehicle in front brakes suddenly, stopping your vehicle will be more difficult. Even if you slam the brake, you won't be able to avoid a collision since there are factors like low visibility and slipper roads to account for during rains.
What was the need to drive close to the vehicle in front? What was the hurry? If the car ends up in a collision, all your haste will go in vain. You end up losing your time and money to fix the car. Moreover, you could suffer humiliation too. Maintaining a safe distance helps you avoid such situations.
* In bumper to bumper traffic, you may have to stop vehicles close to each other during halts. But when you start moving, do not forget to maintain a safe distance.
* While driving, you need to see the rear wheel of the vehicle in front. That is the ideal distance to maintain.
* If you maintain a safe distance, you will get enough time to know when the vehicle in front will stop or turn.
Ideal safe distance
There are several theories on how to maintain a safe distance. Instead of splitting the hair over each one of them, the easiest one is the ‘wheel distance’. This is not a rule but a practical solution that we can follow in maintaining a minimum distance. The faster you travel the longer the distance. However, when you are travelling on bad roads, you need to keep a good distance away from the vehicle in front because that helps you see how it is negotiating potholes.
Is it necessary?
Yes. Because if your vehicle rear-ends the vehicle in front, you are the only one at fault. The vehicle in front could brake suddenly. Or the engine could stall. But those are not the excuses for the collision. If you maintain a safer distance it will help you avoid hard braking, and accidents, too.
