Rule of 10 : Tips for safe following Distance

Stay Safe on The Roads – Keep a Safe Distance!

Rear-end (bumper-to-bumper) accidents especially in Malaysia are far too common—and many of them actually could be avoided.

I’d like to share a simple method or tips (in Malaysia it is called 'petua' ) I came up with to help drivers maintain a safer following distance.

Match your speed with the number of car lengths:
- 100 km/h → 10 car lengths
- 90 km/h → 9 car lengths
- 80 km/h → 8 car lengths
- 70 km/h → 7 car lengths
- 60 km/h → 6 car lengths
- 50 km/h → 5 car lengths
- 40 km/h → 4 car lengths
- 30 km/h → 3 car lengths
- 20 km/h → 2 car lengths
- 10 km/h or less → 1 car length

It’s simple, easy to remember, and practical for everyday driving.

You can also use the 3-second rule (count “1001, 1002, 1003”) if you prefer.

Some may say this is too cautious, call it lane hogging, or judge your driving. That doesn’t matter.

Your safety, your passengers, and your vehicle should always come first.

I hope this simple idea helps make our roads safer for everyone.

If you have better or additional tips, feel free to share - we can all learn from each other.

Drive safe and take care!

BTW, I also built a simple Stopping Distance Calculator if you want a better idea of how distance changes with speed - Stopping Distance Calculator