[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

You need to get out more. There are numerous places in NSW that go from 110kmh to 60kmh with only a sign appx 100 metres out saying 60kmh ahead.

I thought about mentioning that 100km/h to 60km/h zones are commonplace in country Vic, but I could imagine the sort of response mentioning the 'V' word would illicit. So I though twice about it.

I don't recall any accidents being mentioned when they introduced that system either.

Originally Posted by zilo

Maybe if you quoted the recommended value of 3 car lengths minimum instead of 3 seconds...

Originally Posted by Officemanager

Below quote & link from Vicroads website.
https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safe...e-driving-tips




Following distance

Judging distance and speed can deteriorate with age and older people may take longer to react. So always keep a safe distance from the car in front.
Under normal conditions, on most roads and highways, you should try to have a two second gap between your car and the car in front where possible.
The way to work this out is to pick a solid object beside the road, and count two second from the time the car in front passes it. If you’ve reached the object within two seconds you’re too close.
The two second gap should be extended to four seconds in the following situations:

• at night or in poor light
• bad weather conditions such as rain or fog
• when you are tired
• when your vehicle is heavy and can’t stop as quickly
• when you are towing
• when you are unsure of the road.

And it's not just Vicroads that recommend a 3 to 4 second gap. A quick google search shows this document from the NSW RTA. Item 8 refers to:

Drivers must keep sufficient distance behind a vehicle
travelling in front of them to safely avoid a collision.
Safe following distances may vary depending on
the conditions, the type of vehicle and the speed
at which the vehicle is travelling. As a general rule,
when following a vehicle, the driver should travel
three seconds behind the vehicle in front to provide
sufficient time to avoid a crash.

As you can see from the language in that section (ie 'should', 'vary', 'general rule') it is not law, but it certainly recommended in multiple state authority literature. I also recall being taught the 3 second gap when I was learning to drive back in the late 80s, early 90s.


This NSW RTA page even specifies the distance for you at certain speeds:

The three second gap will change depending on you speed.
The following table shows the crash avoidance space needed for these speeds

Speed Crash avoidance space in metres
60 Kilometres per hour 50 metres
80 Kilometres per hour 67 metres
100 Kilometres per hour 84 metres
Potential for something to move into the crash avoidance space
The three-second gap can also be used for situations where there is potential for something to move into your crash avoidance space; for example a car in an adjacent street could fail to give way and pull out in front of you.

Safe low risk drivers experienced in maintaining a three-second following distance are able to mentally judge a three-second crash avoidance space in front of their vehicle. If there is potential for a hazard to enter this crash avoidance space, reduce your speed to create a buffer. It is necessary to maintain the crash avoidance space for all potentially hazardous situations, including blind corners and crests.

Many of the crashes that occur each day in NSW could be avoided if drivers actively maintained their crash avoidance space.

For interest, on the Prices Highway between Stratford and Bairnsdale in east Gippsland, they have several sections where the requirement for a 3 second gap is sign-posted, along with markings on the road to assist drivers to determine the gap between them and the vehicle in front: