Keeping your distance
Half the speedometer, 2‑second rule, lateral distance
Distance is your reaction reserve
Your distance to the vehicle ahead must be large enough to stop behind it even if it brakes suddenly (§ 4 StVO). Conversely, the driver in front must not brake hard without a compelling reason. Most rear‑end crashes happen because the gap was too small.
Rules of thumb for distance
- “Half the speedometer” in metres: at 100 km/h at least 50 m
- That equals roughly a 2‑second gap
- Delineator posts outside towns stand 50 m apart
- In wet, icy or foggy conditions: much more distance
- Behind trucks keep more distance – to see further ahead
- Behind motorcycles keep more distance – they brake very hard
Distance calculator
Choose a speed and see the minimum gap by “half the speedometer” – and how many metres you cover in 2 seconds.
Educational rules of thumb, not a measurement of a vehicle.
How to use the 2‑second rule
- Pick a fixed point: bridge, sign, delineator post
- When the car ahead passes it, start counting
- “one thousand one, one thousand two”
- If you reach the point earlier: drop back
- In the wet: at least 4 seconds
Tailgating is dangerous – and expensive
Anyone who follows far too closely on the Autobahn risks fines, points and a driving ban. If someone tailgates you: stay calm, don't brake to “teach them a lesson”, increase your gap to the front and let the tailgater pass when you can.
Distance rules for large vehicles
- Trucks over 3.5 t, buses: Autobahn above 50 km/h, at least 50 m
- Sign 273: minimum distance for motor vehicles over 3.5 t
- Cars and buses are exempt from sign 273
- Slow vehicles outside towns: leave gaps for overtakers to cut in
Distance and congestion
Lateral distance
In towns
- Pedestrians, cyclists, e‑scooter riders: at least 1.5 m
- Next to parked cars: leave room for an opening door (recommended: about 1 m)
Outside towns
- Pedestrians, cyclists, e‑scooter riders: at least 2 m
- Expect extra‑wide farm machinery
Delineator posts as a tape measure
There are 50 m between two delineator posts. At 100 km/h, keep at least that much space to the car ahead – much more in rain.
This source question references an image or scene that is not yet supplied. Do not use it for scored practice.
Remember: the weather counts too
“Half the speedometer” is for good conditions. In the wet, at least double the gap; in snow and ice, far more. And: a large gap to the front also protects you from tailgaters behind – you have to brake hard less often.
You are driving at 120 km/h on a dry Autobahn. What is the minimum gap by the rule of thumb?
- 40 m
- 60 m
- 120 m
Check answer
60 m
Half the speedometer: 120 ÷ 2 = 60 m. More in poor conditions.
Someone is following you very closely. How do you behave correctly?
- I tap the brake briefly to warn them
- I increase the gap to the vehicle ahead
- I let them overtake at the next opportunity
Check answer
I increase the gap to the vehicle ahead
I let them overtake at the next opportunity
More space ahead gives you time to brake gently. Braking without reason is forbidden and provokes crashes.