When should you increase your following distance while driving?

Increasing your following distance in adverse weather conditions is crucial for ensuring safety on the road. These conditions, such as rain, fog, snow, or ice, can significantly reduce visibility and the traction between your vehicle's tires and the road surface. As a result, the stopping distance increases, meaning it takes longer to come to a complete stop when you need to. By maintaining a greater following distance during such conditions, you provide yourself with more reaction time to respond to unexpected actions from other drivers or obstacles in the road, ultimately reducing the risk of collisions.

In contrast, while driving at night or on a highway may necessitate adjustments in driving behavior, the need to increase following distance is most critical when facing adverse weather, as those elements directly impact vehicle control and stopping time. Likewise, traffic conditions and the environment both have their own risks, but adverse weather notably introduces more unpredictable factors that warrant extra caution.