The “3-second rule” is a traffic safety guideline to help you leave enough space between your vehicle and the car ahead of you. Basically, it instructs you to pick an object on the road that the other car has just passed and then count how long until you reach the same point. In most situations, you need to be three seconds behind the other driver to have enough room to prevent accidents.
Knowing the 3-second rule and what Oklahoma traffic laws say about following cars too closely can help prevent accidents. This knowledge will also keep everyone on our state’s highways and interstates safer.
What Is The 3-Second Rule?
The 3-second rule is a common recommendation from traffic experts on how much space to give other motorists on streets and highways. It’s a proactive way of checking if you might be following someone too closely as you use Oklahoma roads to get to work, school, or just to run errands.
You can try the three-second rule on any roadway as long as traffic isn’t moving too slowly. Follow these steps:
- Look at the back of the vehicle in front of you
- Note when it passes a chosen landmark like a tree or a street sign
- Start counting off seconds
- Note how many seconds go by until the front of your car passes the same landmark
If the distance is less than 3 seconds, you should consider slowing down and allowing for more space. Of course, traveling on city streets with slower speed limits will probably make a 3-second space a bit too much and you’ll have to judge what’s safe yourself.
The Oklahoma Driver Manuel actually recommends allowing four seconds of space between cars on highways with faster speed limits. State driving experts also ask that motorists slow down further when traveling on slick roads, in fog. You should also adjust your distance when following motorcycles and large trucks.
Is the 3-Second Rule The Law in Oklahoma?
No. The 3-second rule and 4-second rules are just guidelines for safe drivers to use. It’s up to an officer to decide what’s “reasonable and prudent” as far as how far back a vehicle should remain. The officer would use their own judgment on when a traffic stop and citation were necessary. Weather conditions and traffic conditions would also be considered.
Oklahoma officers have mentioned using a two and three-second rule to determine if a driver is following another vehicle at an unsafe distance.
Oklahoma traffic statutes don’t mention a certain distance or length of time between cars. It uses language that stresses that drivers should follow at reasonable distances based on speed and conditions.
“(a) The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.”
The Oklahoma Drivers Manuel cautions that drivers must take into account a few critical elements when determining how much time they’ll need to stop to avoid striking cars in front of them:
- Time to perceive the obstacle or slowing traffic ahead
- Time for the brain to tell the foot to move to move to the brake
- Time for the foot to move to the brake
- Time for the car to brake (depending on speed)
Contact An Oklahoma Car Accident Lawyer If You Are Hurt in a Collision
If a reckless motorist following too closely ends up ramming your car and you are seriously injured, you should speak to a skilled Oklahoma car accident lawyer at Ylla|Gosney. We help victims and their families in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and across the state secure money to pay medical bills and replace lost paychecks.
Contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation case consultation. It’s the best way to find out what your case may be worth before you speak to an insurance representative who may tell you something very different.
If you require a car accident attorney to get the most out of your accident claim, you won’t need any money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless your case is won. Then our attorney’s fee comes out of the settlement check an auto insurer must provide to you and your family.
