Question

Difficulty: EasySpace Ahead and Following Distance

Under ideal driving conditions, a commercial driver operating a 50-foot50\text{-foot} vehicle at a speed of 35 mph35\text{ mph} should maintain a minimum following distance of 5 seconds5\text{ seconds}.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True
The statement is accurate because standard CDL rules establish a baseline following interval of 1 second1\text{ second} per 10 feet10\text{ feet} of vehicle length for speeds below 40 mph40\text{ mph}. A 50-foot50\text{-foot} vehicle at 35 mph35\text{ mph} therefore requires exactly 5010=5 seconds\frac{50}{10} = 5\text{ seconds} of following space.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Calculate the base following distance using vehicle length
5 seconds
The commercial vehicle formula designates 1 second for each 10 feet of vehicle length (50 ft / 10 = 5 seconds).
2
Check the operating speed for the high-speed adjustment rule
No extra second added
The vehicle is operating at 35 mph, which is below the 40 mph threshold where an additional 1 second must be added.
3
Determine total required minimum following distance
5 seconds
The total required following distance remains 5 seconds, confirming the statement is True.

Key Concept

CDL space cushion formula: 1 second per 10 feet of length below 40 mph
Estimated Time:45s
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