I spend a lot of time on the highway and I'm wondering if the old rule of thumb about half your speedometer reading is still valid. Are there any official guidelines on this, and what happens if I tailgate?
The minimum distance is legally set and depends on your speed - at 100 km/h it should be at least 100 meters, the old rule of thumb "half the speedometer" is more of a minimum rule and often not enough. In bad weather, wet conditions or darkness you need significantly more space because your car takes longer to brake - have you taken that into account on your drives? If you tailgate, you risk fines (starting at 25 euros for a measured violation) and above a certain distance you also get points on your license plus substantial penalties, plus in a serious case you're liable if an accident happens.
Do you tend to drive fast or stick to the speed limits? The half-speedometer rule is still the practical standard - at 100 km/h that's 50 meters distance - and it matches the official recommendations in the traffic code too. Tailgating costs you between 25 and 250 euros in fines depending on the distance and speed, and if you're dangerously close, you're looking at points on your driving record plus a driving ban. When it's wet or visibility is poor, you should give yourself more space because your braking distance gets longer.
When you start applying it in practice, you'll quickly notice that the half-speedometer rule is a good guideline, but it often isn't enough under real conditions. Especially when it's raining, foggy, or if you're tired, you should be a lot more generous - 50 metres at 100 km/h is simply too tight. The two-second rule is sometimes more helpful here: you pick a point (guide post, sign) and count how long the car takes to reach it. If you're counting faster than two seconds, you're following too close.
Following too close not only costs you a fine (starting at about 30 euros for minor bumps, much more for accidents), but it's also extremely stupid for your own safety. You basically have zero reaction time if the car ahead does a full emergency stop. And an accident with property damage is expensive and annoying - not to mention serious injuries. Most accidents on the motorway happen for exactly this reason.
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