BENDIX BW2769 Manuel D’Utilisation

One of  the safest habits any driver can perform while operating a motor vehicle is 
maintaining a minimum following distance from the other vehicles. Most commercial 
vehicles traveling at a highway speed of  55 MPH require a minimum of  200 feet 
or more to bring the vehicle to a complete stop on dry pavement. Conditions like 
heavy loads, slippery roads, and worn tire tread can drastically increase a vehicle’s 
stopping distance.

There are many factors that affect how quickly a driver can react to slowing or 
stopping a vehicle. Every situation requires the driver’s best judgment. One driving 
method that has been proven to reduce the likelihood of  a front-end collision is 
maintaining a following distance of  no closer than three seconds.

Following distance is based on the speed of  travel and the time to reach the 
vehicle ahead should that vehicle come to a stop. You can use the formula below to 
calculate following distance by fi rst converting road speed to feet per second.

Using the example above, a vehicle traveling 55 MPH would need to maintain a 
minimum gap of  approximately 242 feet from the vehicle ahead to maintain a 
three-second following distance.

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