If you are driving a 30' vehicle at 55mph, how many seconds of following distance should you allow?

When determining the appropriate amount of following distance while driving a larger vehicle, such as one that is 30 feet long and traveling at 55 mph, a standard guideline is to allow for a following distance of at least one second for every ten feet of vehicle length.

In this case, the vehicle is 30 feet long. By applying the guideline, you would calculate the following distance as three seconds for the length of the vehicle (one second for each 10 feet). In addition, since the vehicle is traveling at a speed of 55 mph, which can be considered a higher speed where stopping distances are greater, allowing an additional second in following distance provides a safer buffer when braking. Thus, a total of four seconds is recommended.

This approach helps ensure that there is adequate time to react to sudden stops or emergencies, especially when driving a larger vehicle that may take longer to stop compared to smaller vehicles. Hence, the answer of four seconds is considered prudent and safe for maintaining an appropriate and secure following distance while driving at that speed.