Question

what is the recommended following distance for a commercial truck at speeds above 40 mph?

5 seconds
3 seconds
6 seconds
4 seconds

Explanation:

Identify standard commercial truck following distance rules

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) guidelines state that for large trucks or commercial vehicles, the recommended following distance is 1 second for every 10 feet of vehicle length at speeds under 40 mph. For speeds above 40 mph, an additional 1 second must be added to this base distance.

Apply the rule to a typical commercial vehicle

For a typical commercial tractor-trailer (approximately 50 to 60 feet long), the base following distance is 5 seconds at speeds under 40 mph.

Calculate the recommended distance above 40 mph

At speeds above 40 mph, adding the extra 1 second to the base 5 seconds results in a recommended following distance of 6 seconds.

Answer:

• 5 seconds
• 3 seconds
• 6 seconds (Correct answer)
• 4 seconds