What additional time should you add to the 1 second for every 3 meters of your vehicle?

When determining the safe following distance while driving, it's important to note that for every 3 meters of your vehicle's length, you should add 1 second to your following distance. This guideline ensures that you maintain a safe buffer between your vehicle and the one in front of you, accommodating reaction time and braking distance.

If your vehicle is 3 meters long, adding 1 second results in a total of 2 seconds of following distance (1 second plus the additional 1 second). However, if your vehicle is longer—say 6 meters—you would then add 2 seconds for a total of 3 seconds. Therefore, elongating the following distance with the vehicle length in mind enhances safety, especially in various driving conditions where stopping distances may vary.

In this case, adding 2 additional seconds helps create a more fitting response based on the vehicle's length, ensuring that drivers have ample time to react and stop safely, thus making the chosen answer appropriate for understanding safe driving practices.