Arkansas Commercial Driver License (CDL) Practice Test

What should you do to determine if you are following too close behind another vehicle?

1. Check the distance between vehicles

2. Look at your speedometer

3. Check the time gap between vehicles

4. Look for brake lights ahead

The correct answer is: Check the time gap between vehicles

To assess if you are following too closely behind another vehicle, analyzing the time gap between your vehicle and the one in front is crucial. This method provides a clear measure of how much space you have to react in case of sudden stops or emergencies. A standard recommendation is to maintain a minimum following distance that corresponds to a time gap of at least three to four seconds. This ensures that you have enough time to respond to any actions taken by the vehicle ahead. While checking the distance between vehicles can be useful, it does not take into account the speed at which you are traveling, making the time gap a more reliable metric. Monitoring your speedometer helps you understand how fast you are moving but does not directly inform you about your following distance. Observing brake lights ahead provides a signal regarding potential slowing or stopping of traffic, but it does not directly evaluate whether your current distance is safe.