How should you adjust your following distance in poor driving conditions?

In poor driving conditions, such as rain, snow, fog, or other situations that may reduce visibility and road traction, it is crucial to increase your following distance significantly to at least five seconds. This extended distance provides a safer buffer, allowing more time to react to any sudden changes, such as the vehicle in front of you slowing down or stopping unexpectedly.

Under normal conditions, a following distance of three seconds is often adequate for most drivers, but adverse weather can dramatically impact a vehicle's stopping distance due to decreased traction. Increasing the following distance to five seconds accounts for these hazards, giving drivers additional time to assess the situation and respond safely. This practice helps mitigate the risk of collisions caused by panic or sudden braking in precarious driving environments.

Maintaining a shorter following distance, such as one second or even three seconds, in poor driving conditions would not provide enough time to react safely, whereas following closely can lead to rear-end crashes should the vehicle ahead need to stop suddenly.