Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City & Inverness, Florida Accident Attorney and Alachua County DUI Lawyer Blogs

Heads Up: Give Yourself Some Time and Space!

Recently, a car accident occurred in Gilchrist County that may have been caused by one car following another too closely or possibly by some type of distraction, the facts are not in yet, however, whatever the cause, apparently, when one car slowed to make a turn the car behind it did not. It is always tragic when this type of accident happens, and as a local accident lawyer I would like to discuss the issue of following too closely, which is an important topic especially in this day and age.

The problem is that it is extremely important that drivers maintain a safe distance between cars because following too closely can result in an accident even if the following driver is paying attention to the actions of the vehicle ahead -- let alone when the following driver is distracted, by celling, texting, and all of the distractions and stresses of the modern day world.

One of the most common accidents that can result from following too closely is when the car ahead slows to turn, as occurred on State Road 20 last week. Besides giving adequate stopping time, an appropriate following distance affords drivers more time to make well-planned decisions, scan the sides of the road, and view the vehicle immediately in front; in short - take defensive actions.

The DOT recommends that when driving below 40 mph, drivers should leave at least one second for every 10 feet of vehicle length. For speeds over 40 mph, you should leave one additional second. In adverse conditions, drivers should double their following interval.

Protect yourself and others by maintaining a safe distance between you and the car in front of you.

Save tailgating for Gator football weekends!

 For more information on what is currently recommended for safe following distances

 Another informative site   

 Aggressive Driving Special Patrol Alert