Too close for comfort…

Over the years, many individuals and organisations (Including the Institute of Advanced motorists and some Chief Police Constables) have called for increases in motorway speed limits; however, others think that this would be a recipe for more accidents. Although higher speeds will inevitably increase the severity of accidents, speed in itself is not usually the cause of motorway accidents.

Whatever your views on speed limits, driving more slowly will not necessarily reduce your risk of an accident on the motorway.

The real problem lies in the way that drivers use speed on motorways. Consider the following figures:

	At 70 mph covers about 35 metres per second (try walking 35 metres with your eyes shut to appreciate this distance!)
	From the moment that the brakes are applied it will take somewhere in the region of 75 metres to stop (assuming a well maintained vehicle and a good, dry road!)
	Most drivers have a reaction time of over half a second (this is before they touch the brakes)
	Tired, ill or distracted drivers can take well over a second to react to danger

Given the information above, it doesn't take a mathematical genius to work out that drivers who only leave a separation gap of three or four car lengths when traveling at 70 mph will not have a chance of stopping if faced with a sudden emergency.

By keeping a one-metre gap for each mile per hour of your speed, or applying the 'two-second rule' you will do a lot to reduce your risk. Another major benefit of maintaining a safe distance is that it will give you plenty of time and space for safe, well planned lane changes – it’s estimated that up to 25% of motorway accidents are caused by reckless or late lane change manoeuvres.