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Question 4061

As a general rule, it is advisable to maintain, from the vehicle traveling ahead,...

  1. a minimum gap of 1 second, although it may be increased to 2 seconds when driving outside a built-up area.
  2. a minimum gap of 2 seconds, although it is recommended to increase it to 3 seconds when driving outside a built-up area.
  3. a minimum gap of 4 seconds.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: a minimum gap of 2 seconds, although it is recommended to increase it to 3 seconds when driving outside a built-up area.

Except in tunnels, the law does not specify a gap in seconds. It requires you to leave enough space behind the vehicle ahead to stop without hitting it if it brakes suddenly, and that space increases with speed. As a general guideline, leave at least 2 seconds, and outside built-up areas, where you drive faster, 3 is better. When the roadway is wet, as in the image, leave even more. One second is too little, and 4 seconds, or 100 meters, is the minimum in tunnels for a passenger car that is not going to pass another vehicle.

Conducción preventiva · Cuestiones de Seguridad Vial. Manual II