Safety distance in road traffic: Drivers need to know this

Created: 07/11/2022, 16:15

By: Sebastian Oppenheimer

Too little safety distance on the road increases the risk of accidents.

Drivers who do not comply face high fines and driving bans.

Pushers are not only annoying, they also pose an extreme danger on the road - especially on the freeway at high speeds.

Because if you don't keep a sufficient

distance to the vehicle in front, you may not be able to brake in time in an emergency - and an accident will occur.

The key question, however, is: How much distance is “sufficient”?

The

does

- this depends on the speed driven.

The law only states that the distance to the vehicle in front must generally be large enough “that it is possible to keep behind it even if it is suddenly braked.”

Tailgating is dangerous and can cost drivers dearly.

(Iconic image) © Patrick Pleul/dpa

Safety distance in road traffic: Drivers need to know this

In order to calculate the necessary safety distance to the vehicle in front, there are

most drivers should be familiar with.

The first is

Outside built-up areas, half the speedometer value is the minimum distance.

So if you are driving on a country road at 100 km/h, you have to keep a distance of at least 50 meters to the vehicle in front.

The ACV automobile club advises anyone who has difficulty estimating distances to follow the

that are set up along motorways and country roads: These are usually spaced 50 meters apart.

The calculation for the braking distance is a bit more complicated.

What do these traffic signs mean?

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Safety distance in road traffic: the "two-second rule"

can be another help for the correct safety distance

. This is also referred to as the "two-second rule": If a vehicle driving ahead passes a sign outside of built-up areas, you should pass the same spot two seconds later at the earliest.

Nowadays, of course, you can also be supported by technology - such as

or

Important: As the ADAC emphasizes, you must not rely solely on the technology - everyone remains responsible for maintaining the correct distance.

Drivers must also keep a certain distance from cyclists.

Safety distance in road traffic: These penalties apply to violations

If the distance is violated at a speed of

, the fine is between 25 and 35 euros.

Above 80 km/h it becomes significantly more expensive and there is a risk of at least one point in Flensburg and also a driving ban.

The amount of the penalty depends on how far the minimum distance was undershot.

These penalties apply to distance violations at a speed of

The ADAC points out that only a

will be sanctioned.

This happens when you don't keep a safe distance for a

of time .

For this reason, according to the automobile club, the near and far range of the measuring point is usually documented by two video cameras.