Under rain, snow, or poor visibility, what should you do with your following distance?

• A. Increase to five seconds or more
• B. Keep the three-second rule
• C. Decrease to two seconds
• D. Ignore and continue

Answer: (A)

In adverse weather, you need more space in front of you because your ability to see hazards and stop safely is reduced. The best practice is to maintain five seconds or more of following distance. This extra buffer gives you enough time to react to sudden slows or stops by the vehicle ahead, and it accommodates longer braking distances on wet, snowy, or low-visibility roads.

To gauge it, pick a fixed object ahead and count seconds from when the lead vehicle passes it to when you reach the same object. If it’s fewer than five seconds, increase the distance. The three-second rule is a useful baseline in good conditions, but it isn’t enough in rain, snow, or poor visibility. Dropping to two seconds is unsafe in these conditions, and ignoring the need for extra space can lead to collisions.