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The three-second rule is a minimum you should follow

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One simple rule to follow while you drive is that you should always keep three seconds between vehicles. You’ll learn to roughly gauge this without counting in time, but the best way to train is to occasionally count seconds between stationary objects, ensuring that you’re far enough back.

The goal of this rule is to prevent rear-end accidents. Often, people who drive too close — even when they don’t realize it — simply don’t have the reaction time needed on the road. When the car ahead stops suddenly or when another accident happens up ahead, they cannot stop and wind up in a chain-reaction crash.

That said, remember that this is just a minimum. You may need even more space than three seconds provides.

Consider the conditions

One big factor to consider is how your road conditions look that day. Are the roads wet? Is it raining, snowing or foggy? Are you on a gravel road where you may not be able to stop as quickly as you would on the pavement?

If in doubt, do not hesitate to back off even further. You may need four or five seconds.

The reason people don’t follow the three-second rule (or add extra time) is because you generally don’t need to use it. The traffic ahead of you is predictable, and it feels safe getting even closer. Don’t buy into this mindset, though, or you’re not going to be ready when something unexpected finally does happen. Stay vigilant, and you can avoid getting involved in an accident.

Of course, the driver behind you may not be as careful. If you get injured in a crash they cause, then you may be able to seek compensation.

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Schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced lawyer from Phillips, Hayden & Labbee, LLP. The sooner you get us involved, the more we can do to help you.

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When I first called their office I was able to speak to a paralegal and an attorney right away. They answered all of my questions. Throughout the process of my case the attorneys were in constant contact with me. I knew every step of the process. The staff and attorneys were very easy to talk to. I was extremely pleased with the outcome. My medical bills were high. They managed to get my doctors to write off a lot of the bills which saved me money. PHL is a great law firm. I highly recommend them to anyone. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

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I called numerous attorneys, Michael Labbee was not only the only attorney to call me back at all but called me the same day during his personal time. In the consult, he confirmed my rights as a party to this contract, went over all the ramifications the seller would incur by breaking our contract, and went over cost of litigation if that’s the route I needed to take. I felt more empowered at my options. He was not only knowledgeable and to the point, but kind (yet clearly willing to go to bat to people in their place for my rights!).

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After my accident I contacted Tyler Hayden to get his advice on legal help and he said don’t worry, we can take care of this and that’s exactly what that firm did. From day one I felt comfortable talking to the lawyers and knew they had my best interest. I would 100% recommend Phillips, Hayden, & Labbee to handle your personal injury case. I’m glad I did.