Space to the front ...

The safety-space ahead of your vehicle is the easiest one for you to control. You can adjust the gap between yourself and the vehicle in front by simply varying your speed.

Your forward safety gap must be large enough for you to stop safely in an emergency. An easy way to maintain your forward safety gap on a good, dry road is to use the 'two second rule'.

Applying this rule is easy … First, watch for the vehicle ahead pass a static marker point. A tree, a phone box, a lamp-post, a motorway bridge or any other fixed reference point.

This should take approximately two seconds to say. You should have finished the phrase as, or before, you reach the reference point. 

If you pass the point before you finish the phrase you are too close to the vehicle in front, pull back and try again. In poor weather conditions your gap should be at least double - that is, four seconds or more.

Some motorways have chevrons marked on the road surface to help you judge a safe gap.

By applying the 'two-second rule' you will be keeping a one-metre gap for each mile per hour of your speed. This 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 on motorways and fast dual-carriageways – it’s estimated that up to 25% of motorway accidents are caused by reckless or late lane change manoeuvres.

Click the forward arrow to find out about keeping a safe space to the sides ...