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E-mail This StoryThe Rowlett Police Department’s Traffic Division is evaluating new technology in an effort to increase transportation safety and reduce vehicle collisions.
The equipment, manufactured by Laser Technologies Incorporated (LTI), is a laser that has the capability to determine the following distance and travel time between vehicles. The laser is used by pointing the laser on the front bumper of the lead vehicle and quickly pointing the laser on the front bumper of the following vehicle. The laser displays the speed of each vehicle and calculates the following distance and travel time between the two vehicles.
“Following too closely is a common contributing factor to rear-end collisions in Rowlett as well,” said Lt. Steve Ferrie of the Rowlett Police Department Traffic Division. “Our goal is to gain voluntary compliance and educate the public of the dangers of following too closely. During the few days we have been evaluating this equipment we have observed many hazardous situations involving motorists following too closely. Many of the motorists did not realize or deny they were following too closely, but this equipment validates our suspicions and allows us to capture the evidence and present it in court in a manner that everyone will understand.”
According to crash data collected by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), following too closely and driver inattention contribute to 88 percent of all rear-end collisions. Although driver inattention is not considered a violation of the Texas Transportation Code, following too closely is a violation and is often times an element of road rage. According to the Texas Transportation Code “An operator shall, if following a vehicle, maintain an assured clear distance between the two vehicles so that, considering the speed of the vehicles, traffic, and the conditions of the highway, the operator can safely stop without colliding with the preceding vehicle or veering into another vehicle, object, or person on or near the highway.”
The average perception and reaction time for a sober healthy adult is 1.5 seconds. In a traffic panic situation, that means it takes 1.5 seconds to think, react and apply the brakes or steer to avoid a hazard. If drivers are traveling 50 Mph behind another vehicle and that driver has to suddenly stop, the lead vehicle will be slowing down for 1.5 seconds while other driver continues to travel and additional 110 feet at 50 Mph before drivers hit the brakes and begin to slow.
To avoid being stopped for following too closely or rear ending a vehicle due to following too closely, it is recommended that drivers follow the two second rule. The two second rule is mentioned in the Texas Drivers Handbook and recommends staying at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead of drivers during optimal driving conditions. During inclement weather or other hazardous conditions drivers should allow more time to stop. One way to determine if drivers are following the two second rule is to identify a reference point ahead of the vehicle drivers are following. When the vehicle ahead of drivers passes the reference point begin counting. If drivers reach the same object in less than two seconds, drivers are following too closely.
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