Road Safety for Trucks

When driving a vehicle, the driver must always maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front to adhere to road safety recommendations. The safe distance mainly depends on the speed at which the motorist is traveling. It is generally advised for drivers to leave a distance equivalent to two seconds of travel between their vehicle and the one in front, as this theoretically allows road users to be safe in case of sudden braking.

• The Safety Distance 

Who hasn’t wondered what “safe distance” truly means? While most people are aware that it involves keeping a certain distance between their vehicle and the one in front, few understand what it precisely entails. Referring to the Highway Code, it mandates a two-second gap between each driver. It’s hard to visualize this in terms of distance. In reality, this concept corresponds to the distance traveled by the vehicle in two seconds, taking into account traffic speed.

Indeed, regarding road safety, it’s common to convert kilometers per hour into meters per second to get an instantaneous speed. This will then determine the distance traveled by the vehicle, and consequently, the safety distance to maintain to avoid the risk of collision.

• Details About Safety Distances 

In some instances, signs, traffic conditions, or vehicle sizes can dictate the safe distance to maintain.

For example, road signs indicate a minimum distance to be maintained between road users. Moreover, during a Khamsin, when visibility drops below 50 meters, the speed is automatically reduced to 50 km/h. Similarly, the minimum distance to maintain from the vehicle in front should be 50 meters. Finally, two vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons following each other outside urban areas must maintain at least a 50-meter gap between them.