How the 2 Second Rule Will Change Your Life

Number TOO!!!! Part of being thrifty and frugal is also being wise. Wisdom guides our decision making and we all know that if you make poor decisions they’re going to come back to bite you. Many of those poor decisions can affect your wallet – and we ALL hate that!

So, what if I told you there was something you could do today that would make you more prepared for the unexpected? How about if it could also increase your chance of avoiding dangerous situations? Surely this bit of wisdom could help you make some good decisions, right? ‘But…’, you say, ‘it must be something difficult! Something that will surely take time and effort. Maybe it will even cost me money!’ Not in this case. The 2 second rule takes exactly 2 seconds to learn and 2 seconds to apply.

What is the 2 Second Rule?

You may know it already. If you do and you’re using it each day – excellent! But if you’re not, the question I’m asking today is why aren’t you taking it seriously?

The 2 Second Rule is a guideline for driving which helps you maintain a safe following distance. The principle is that as you’re driving you should stay at least two seconds behind the car in front of you. Pretty simple right? So why aren’t you using the 2 Second Rule. My guess is that since it’s so simple, you’re not convinced that it makes that big of a difference. I’m about to show you why it does.

The 2 Second Rule works at any speed and is equivalent to one vehicle length for every 5 miles per hour. But you don’t need to remember that. All you need to remember is to find a fixed object to focus on and to use simple counting to measure the distance between your car and the car in front of you. Here’s how to do it:

Find a fixed object, like a sign, traffic light, mailbox, or a marking on the road.
When the car in front of your passes that object, start counting.
When you pass that object, stop counting.

If you made it passed “one…two…” then you’re following at a safe distance. You’ve successfully applied the 2 Second Rule! If you didn’t make it to two, slow down a bit and try again. You can also use the phrase “only a fool breaks the two-second rule“. It’s been measured to take two seconds to say and takes into account that people tend to count at different speeds.

The Payoff

Let’s look at just some of the benefits of the 2 Second Rule. This is the part where you become convinced that you need to start using the 2 Second Rule.

It gives you more time to react if there’s something up the road like an accident or if the car in front of you hits something. Increase your distance and you increase the time in which you have to react.
The 2 Second Rule gets around the problem of remembering the correct stopping distances that are required for a given speed. It gives you enough time to slow to a stop within the proper distance.
It’s been shown to significantly reduce risk of a collision, and the severity of an accident should one occur.
If you do get into an accident because you’re following too close – it’s your fault. That translates into higher insurance premiums on top of any injuries you may suffer!
Should you get rear-ended at an intersection, if you’ve given yourself the proper space between the car in front of you, you’re less likely to hit it!
Plain and simple – it helps to avoid tailgating and road rage.
Giving yourself room means you’re less likely to get boxed into a lane, miss an exit or turn, and you’ll have the opportunity to be more aware of your surroundings.
The only space you can control on the road is the space in front of you. I’m going to repeat that because it’s that important. The only space you can control on the road is the space in front of you. You can’t control the cars behind you or the cars in front of you. So take it upon yourself to stay our of harms way.

When is the 2 Second Rule not the 2 Second Rule?

When it’s the 4 Second Rule! Don’t worry, this is easy. During bad weather maintain an even greater distance of three or four seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. Bad weather means you’ll need to increase your stopping distances and there’s a greater likelihood of situations that can cause accidents.

Start using the 2 Second Rule and use this wisdom to give yourself enough time to react and to be a better, safer driver.

photo credit: jonboy mitchell