The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) is urging drivers to do one simple thing to stay safe – count to three.
Why? It takes three seconds of travel time to stop a vehicle after hitting the brakes. Drivers who count to three create a safe distance between themselves and the car in front of them. This technique, called the “3-second rule,” allows drivers to stop safely under normal driving conditions – even if the car in front slams on brakes.
The 3-second rule is a simple guidepost that works as follows:
- Choose a Marker: Choose any stationary object that is on the side of the road in front of the vehicle in front of you.
- Start Counting: When the car in front passes the object start counting to three. Count slowly, add in “one-thousand” to help keep your second counting accurate, as in One – one thousand. Two – one thousand. Three – one thousand.
- Pass the Marker: You should be able to finish counting to three before passing the stationary object you selected in Step 1. If you are still counting, you are too close to the vehicle in front of you.
Drivers who follow this rule can easily avoid tailgating, one of the major causes of rear-end accidents. A simple measure, like counting to 3, can save your life when every second counts.
Think you can count to 3? Test your skills
In addition to the 3-Second Rule, CFX will be sharing practical tools for drivers in the coming months as part of a comprehensive safety campaign the agency is promoting to urge drivers to do their part to keep themselves and other drivers safe. For more information or to test your counting skills, click here.
CFX also urges drivers to check the latest road conditions by following @DRIVEEPASS on Twitter, and always allow enough time to safely reach your destination.