Following Distance on a Rainy Highway at Night
You are driving a 2016 sedan on a rural divided highway at night in steady rain. The posted speed limit is 65 mph and you are traveling at 60 mph. Your headlights are on low beam and your wipers are on. The car ahead of you is a large pickup with a trailer, and its taillights are partially obscured by road spray. You have noticed that your stopping distance feels longer than usual because the pavement is wet. You are also being tailgated by a car about one second behind you.
1. Using the three-second rule, what following distance should you maintain, and why is that the minimum rather than the target?
Read the worked answer
The three-second rule is a minimum for ideal conditions. At 60 mph you cover about 88 feet per second, so three seconds is roughly 264 feet. In rain at night, with reduced visibility and longer stopping distances, you should extend to four or more seconds. Pick a fixed object the pickup passes and count; if you reach it before the count ends, you are too close. The three-second figure assumes dry pavement and good visibility, so it is a floor, not a goal.
2. How should the tailgater behind you change your plan?
Read the worked answer
Do not speed up to create space ahead, and do not brake-check. Increase your own following distance so you can slow gradually rather than abruptly, giving the tailgater more time to react. If possible, change lanes or pull over safely to let the tailgater pass. Maintain a steady speed and signal early for any turn. The goal is to reduce the chance that a sudden stop by you causes a rear-end collision.