Following distance, night driving and freeways

Key points

1. Use the three second rule, counting from a fixed point once the vehicle ahead passes it.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “When the vehicle ahead of you passes the reference point, begin counting: "One-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three."”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 73

2. In poor road conditions, or in a longer vehicle, increase to a four or five second count.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “increase your following distance to a four- or five-second count.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 73

3. If the vehicle behind you follows too closely, slow down slightly and let it pass.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “If the vehicle behind you is following too closely, slow down slightly and allow it to pass.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 73

4. Reaction time from seeing danger to braking is about 3/4 of a second.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “The length of time from perceiving the danger to using the brakes, which is about 3/4 of a second.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 73

5. Nearly half of all fatal traffic crashes in Minnesota happen after dark.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “nearly half of all fatal traffic crashes in Minnesota occur after dark.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 73

6. Use low beams within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle or when following within 200 feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “When you are within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle or following another vehicle at a distance of 200 feet or less, your headlights must remain on low beam.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 73

7. When merging onto a freeway, you must yield to other vehicles.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “You must yield to other vehicles when merging.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 74

8. Stopping or parking on an interstate is illegal except in an emergency, and running out of fuel is not one.

   Source: Handbook p. 77

   “It is illegal to stop or park a vehicle on an interstate freeway, except in an emergency. Running out of fuel is not considered an emergency”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 77

9. If you stop in an emergency, place flares or reflectors 100 to 500 feet behind your vehicle.

   Source: Handbook p. 77

   “If you have flares or reflectors, place them from 100 to 500 feet behind your vehicle on the right edge of the main road.”
   Minnesota Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 77

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Minnesota practice test

1. 1. What practice helps a driver maintain a safe distance behind another vehicle in ideal conditions?

   1. Wait until the lead vehicle brakes before choosing space
   2. Keep one car length regardless of speed or weather
   3. Match the lead vehicle's bumper distance exactly
   4. Use the three-second rule with a fixed roadside reference point
   Show answer

   Use the three-second rule with a fixed roadside reference point. The three-second rule gives the driver a time-based way to judge space. Select a fixed object beside the road, begin counting when the vehicle ahead passes it, and check whether your vehicle reaches that object before the count ends. Arriving too soon means you are following too closely, so gradually reduce speed. A single car length changes meaning with speed and does not account for conditions. Braking only after the lead vehicle brakes leaves no cushion for perception and reaction.

2. 2. When road conditions are poor, how should following distance change?

   1. Ignore time and follow by one vehicle length
   2. Reduce it to two seconds because traffic moves slower
   3. Keep exactly three seconds in every condition
   4. Increase it to a four- or five-second count
   Show answer

   Increase it to a four- or five-second count. The standard three-second count is intended for a standard-length vehicle in ideal conditions. Poor weather, slick pavement, or another adverse condition reduces the margin available for braking and steering, so Minnesota advises increasing the gap to a four- or five-second count. Keeping three seconds treats ideal conditions as universal. A shorter interval is especially risky because it leaves less time to recognize trouble ahead. Choose a roadside reference point, count after the lead vehicle passes, and add time whenever the environment or vehicle length demands it.

3. 3. If the vehicle behind you is following too closely, what response does the manual recommend?

   1. Speed up until you are beyond its headlights
   2. Brake sharply to force it to increase space
   3. Slow down slightly and allow that vehicle to pass
   4. Move into the oncoming lane to block the driver
   Show answer

   Slow down slightly and allow that vehicle to pass. A tailgater creates a stressful situation, but retaliation can turn it into a crash. Minnesota recommends slowing slightly and allowing the following vehicle to pass. That gives the impatient driver an opportunity to move ahead while reducing the chance that your own vehicle will be struck if traffic changes. Sharp braking is dangerous, and racing away or blocking the lane escalates the encounter. Keep your attention on the road ahead, preserve control, and let the other driver create distance by going around when conditions permit.

Source: the Minnesota Driver's Manual, Chapter 6: Driving conditions. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.