Roadwise States Kentucky Driving lessons Following distance & space cushion Kentucky driving lesson · Vehicle Control & Space
Following distance & space cushion A 3-minute lesson from the Kentucky course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Vehicle Control & Space
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 57, 58 The more space you keep around your vehicle—your space cushion—the more time you have to react. Following closely limits your view of the road and leaves you no time to avoid a crash.
Know the rule
It's against the law to follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent.
Handbook p. 57 ↗ Measure your following distance: Watch the rear of the vehicle ahead pass a sign, pole or other fixed point Count 'one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four' Reach the point before 'one thousand four'? You're following too closely Slow down and recount at another point until you're no closer than four seconds Handbook p. 57 ↗ Counting a 4-second gap as the car ahead passes a fixed point Increase your following distance: On slippery roads Behind large vehicles: trucks, buses, RVs and vehicles pulling trailers At night, in fog or in bad weather Behind vehicles that must stop at railroad crossings: transit buses, school buses, hazmat carriers Behind motorcycles—they turn and change lanes much quicker When a driver behind wants to pass—ease off the gas to let them in Handbook p. 57 ↗ Space to the side: Don't linger slightly behind another vehicle in its blind spot—speed up or drop back Don't crowd the center line; keep space from oncoming traffic Make room for vehicles merging onto multi-lane or limited access roads Give extra space to pedestrians, especially children, and bicyclists When a tractor trailer passes you, move to the outside part of your lane Leave space beside parked cars—people step out, and cars pull out suddenly Handbook p. 58 ↗ Know the rule
On interstates, watch for vehicles parked on the shoulder. Move to the left lane safely before passing them, then return to the right lane.
Handbook p. 58 ↗ Know the rule
Help the driver behind you keep a safe distance: hold a steady speed, signal in advance, and keep extra space ahead before slowing or turning.
Handbook p. 58 ↗ Know the rule
If another driver makes a mistake, help them out—speed up, slow down, change lanes or even stop—whatever avoids a collision.
Handbook p. 58 ↗ Put it into practice
You're behind a school bus on a rural highway approaching railroad tracks. School buses must stop at crossings, so stretch your gap beyond four seconds—and add more if the road is wet.
A useful reminder Four seconds is the minimum, not the goal—add time for bad weather, darkness, big vehicles and motorcycles.
Check your understanding Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
The manual recommends a minimum following distance of: 2 seconds 4 seconds 1 second 6 seconds Answer: 4 seconds
You should always try to keep a minimum following distance of 4 seconds between your car and the vehicle ahead.
Handbook p. 57 ↗ To measure your following distance, you should start counting when the vehicle ahead of you passes: The center line A parked car only Another moving vehicle A fixed sign or pole Answer: A fixed sign or pole
Watch when the vehicle ahead passes a stationary point, then count seconds until you reach that same point.
Handbook p. 57 ↗ You should increase your following distance beyond the normal minimum when: Driving under 25 mph On a wide, empty highway Following a small passenger car Following a motorcycle Answer: Following a motorcycle
Motorcyclists can change lanes and speed quickly, so extra following distance is recommended, especially in wet weather.
Handbook p. 57 ↗ You should increase your following distance when following a vehicle required to stop at railroad crossings, such as: A vehicle with a trailer hitch Any compact car A school bus or a vehicle carrying hazardous materials A motorcycle only Answer: A school bus or a vehicle carrying hazardous materials
Vehicles such as school buses and hazmat carriers must stop at railroad crossings, so allow extra following distance.
Handbook p. 57 ↗ When a tractor trailer is passing you, the manual suggests you should: Speed up to finish the encounter faster Move to the outside portion of your lane to keep extra distance Move closer to the center line Brake hard to let it by Answer: Move to the outside portion of your lane to keep extra distance
Move to the outside portion of your lane and keep away from the tractor trailer as it passes.
Handbook p. 58 ↗ It is safe to remain directly beside another vehicle in its blind spot as long as you maintain a steady speed. True False Answer: False
Lingering in another driver's blind spot is unsafe; you should speed up or drop back instead.
Handbook p. 58 ↗ Previous lesson Stopping distance Next lesson Headlights, horn & signals More in Vehicle Control & Space About the source Roadwise’s Kentucky course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 57, 58. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
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