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Difficulty: MediumStopping and Following Distances

According to the UK Highway Code, when driving in wet conditions on a high-speed road, the minimum safe following distance behind the vehicle in front should be increased from two seconds to at least four seconds.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True
The statement is correct because Rule 126 of the UK Highway Code specifies that drivers should leave at least a two-second gap on roads carrying faster-moving traffic in dry conditions, and this safety margin must be at least doubled to four seconds on wet roads where braking distances increase.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Recall the baseline time gap rule for vehicles traveling on high-speed roads in dry weather.
The UK Highway Code specifies a minimum time gap of two seconds (the two-second rule) on dry roads carrying faster-moving traffic.
A two-second gap provides sufficient thinking and braking margin under normal, dry asphalt conditions.
2
Apply the weather adjustment factor for wet road surfaces.
Stopping distances roughly double in wet weather due to reduced tyre friction, requiring the separation time gap to double from two seconds to at least four seconds.
Water reduces tyre adhesion and increases braking distance, necessitating an extended safety buffer.
3
Assess whether the statement matches the official UK Highway Code rule.
The statement accurately describes increasing the following distance from two seconds to at least four seconds.
The rule explicitly mandates doubling the gap in wet conditions.

Key Concept

Application of the two-second following distance rule and wet weather multipliers under the UK Highway Code
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Stopping and Following Distances

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