A PROGRESSIVE COMPANY

Based on NCI customers' experience, more claims dollars are spent on rear-end collisions than any other type of accident. These accidents are caused by inadequate following distance.

Commercial vehicles require more time and distance to stop. When these vehicles cause a rear-end collision, the accidents are almost always severe. Though these accidents accounted for only 8.2 percent of all accidents suffered by NCI customers in 1988, they accounted for 19 percent of total accident cost

Following distance accidents are more frequent in slow-moving, stop-and-go city traffic and in adverse weather conditions. However, they do occur in high speed interstate traffic when drivers are following too closely.

Two factors play critical roles in following distance accidents: time and distance.

Time: If a driver is fully alert, the reaction time of a sudden stop is approximately three-quarters of a second. Three quarters of a second could mean as much as 88 feet of a stop. Here's how:

DRY PAVEMENT STOPS

 Fully Loaded Bus

Speed            Reaction     Braking      Total

                      Distance     Distance     Distance

Speed             Reaction        Braking            Total

                       Distance        Distance          Distance

(All distances are approximate.) Because of the tremendous distance re-quired by commercial vehicles to come to a full stop, your drivers should, at all times practice the four-second rule. That is drivers should keep a minimum of a four second interval between themselves and the vehicle in front of them. It's simple to do; select a benchmark on the road, or the side of the road, and when the vehicle in front passes that mark, the professional driver begins counting, "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four." If the driver has passed the benchmark before reaching one thousand four, he is following too closely. This applies for travel at any speed.

In adverse weather conditions, even further distances need to be kept between vehicles.

Remember, if involved in a following distance accident, your driver, and your company, can be held liable.

The practice of following safely lies with your driver, but everyone in your organization must share in the concern for safety.

We have issued this Safety Alert to help you understand the problem and understand what can be done to prevent following distance accidents.

Click on picture to see larger view