One in four drivers fail basic Highway Code safety rule, says motoring expert

The two-second rule is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay safe on the road, but new analysis shows that many drivers are failing to leave enough space

04:54, 28 Sep 2025

View 2 ImagesMany of us fail to adhere to the simple rule(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Motorists are being warned that many are failing to adhere to one of the simplest Highway Code [1] rules for safe driving. A study by experts at Dick Lovett [2] suggests that the two-second rule [3] is often ignored.

The rule is designed to help drivers judge safe gaps on the road, but an analysis of Department for Transport data by Dick Lovett reveals that a quarter of drivers (25 per cent) do not even leave the minimum two-second gap between themselves and the car in front [4].

Every second counts. The calculations show that leaving just one second less means losing just over 31 metres at motorway speeds, or more than seven car lengths.

Here's how much distance is lost per second at different speeds:.

20 mph: 8.9 m per second

30 mph: 13.4 m per second.

40 mph: 17.9 m per second.

50 mph: 22.4 m per second.

60 mph: 26.8 m per second.

70 mph: 31.3 m per second.

View 2 ImagesAn expert shared a vital two-step check to make before driving(Image: Getty)

To help motorists stay safe on the roads, Alex Lee, motoring expert at Dick Lovett, has offered advice on how to ensure you are leaving enough space:

Use a fixed marker:

"Choose something fixed, like a lamppost or road sign. When the car in front passes it, start counting 'one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two.' If you pass the marker before you finish, you're too close."

2. Count for the conditions:

"In the rain, double your count to four seconds, and in ice or snow [7], leave as much as 10 times the normal gap.

Braking distances can rise sharply, so there's no such thing as leaving too much space in poor weather [8]."

Use time, not distance:

"Metres are hard to judge when you're moving, but time works at any speed.

Counting seconds keeps it simple, whether you're in town at 30mph or on the motorway at 70mph".

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With a quarter of motorists failing to maintain even the minimum safe distance, Alex is encouraging drivers to examine their habits behind the wheel, as a straightforward two-second count could prove crucial in preventing a crash.

References

^ Highway Code (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ Dick Lovett (www.dicklovett.co.uk)
^ two-second rule (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ car in front (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ Drivers warned over 'blank' road sign that is costing motorists millions in fines (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ Rogue builder who ripped off family jailed after being spotted flaunting cash at nightclub (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ snow (www.mirror.co.uk)
^ weather (www.mirror.co.uk)