The AA is urging drivers to focus on their following distance this Labour weekend.

In good driving conditions, leave at least a two-second gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front, and double that to at least four seconds if the road is wet or visibility is poor.

Not only will doing this help keep you safer on the road but it can save you money on fuel, make traffic flow better and make driving a more relaxed and enjoyable experience for everyone on the road.

To check if you are travelling two seconds behind the vehicle in front:

• watch the vehicle in front of you pass a landmark like a sign, tree or power pole at the side of the road
• as it passes the landmark, start counting 'one thousand and one, one thousand and two'
• if you pass the landmark before you finish saying those eight words, you are following too closely

“No matter how good a driver you are, sometimes unexpected things are going to happen in front of you and the greater your following distance the more time you will have to react if you miss seeing something or are distracted for a moment,” says AA Motoring Affairs General Manager Mike Noon.

“A good driver is aware of what is going on around them and maintaining a safe following distance is a key part of this because you have to be scanning the road ahead, being aware of potential hazards and adjusting your driving accordingly.”

Sadly, last Labour weekend eight people died on our roads. As always, the AA is hoping no one will lose their lives or be seriously hurt this holiday weekend, but maintaining safe following distances is about more than just reducing your chances of being involved in a crash.

“If you are right on the bumper of the vehicle in front you are going to be making the driver in front of you feel anxious and under-pressure while you’ll be getting frustrated and be more likely to attempt a risky passing manoeuvre,” says Mr Noon.

“Driving will be much more pleasant for everyone if you drop back a bit and wait until it is safe and clear to pass.”

“Following at a sensible distance can also reduce the amount of petrol you use because it requires less hard braking and accelerating. It’s a win-win-win.”

On the flip side, drivers need to be just as aware of the cars behind them.

“If you see a line of cars behind you in your rear view mirror or have someone following too close, pull over to the left if you can and give them room to get by. It’ll stop people getting frustrated and attempting risky overtaking manoeuvres.

“Also, keep left in passing lanes unless you are overtaking so other vehicles have the opportunity to get past.”

The AA’s other top tips for Labour weekend:

• Don’t speed. The 4kmh speed limit tolerance for holiday weekends is in force
• Keep alert and take regular breaks. Driving when tired and sleepy is as risky as driving drunk
• Use your headlights on dip during the day to be more visible

The AA wishes you safe journeys these holidays, and go the mighty All Blacks.

For more information contact:

Mike Noon
General Manager: Motoring Affairs
New Zealand Automobile Association
T. (04) 931 9984
M. 021 659 704
Email:  mnoon@aa.co.nz

The New Zealand Automobile Association is an incorporated society with over one million members. It represents the interests of road users who collectively pay over $2 billion in taxes each year through fuels excise, road user charges and GST.