Important to Avoid Accidents, What is the ‘3 Seconds on the Toll Roads Formula’?

Published at:

26-03-2023

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Toll roads are paid freeways that are designed to reduce mileage or travel distance and driving time. The toll road surface is usually smooth which lets you drive at high speed. Even so, you still need to be vigilant when driving on the toll road because other drivers are also traveling at high speed. To maintain your safety when driving on the toll road, you can use the 3-second formula. What is the 3-second formula when driving on the toll road? Check out the answers in our article below.

Car accidents on the highway have become increasingly common. The causes of these accidents vary, such as a drowsy driver, slippery roads, or a car that has lost control. To reduce the risk of an accident, you should always keep your car at a distance from other cars. By keeping your distance, your car will have room to maneuver, change course, or overtake. This is to prevent pile-up collisions when the car in front of you is experiencing an issue.

Toll roads differ from regular highways in that they usually are set in one direction. In the event of an accident, you cannot turn back, but you can change lanes. Your car should not be too close to other cars because you need space to maneuver. You can maintain the proper distance by using the 3-second formula. What is the 3-second formula when driving on the toll road? Let’s read and review this article until the end for a complete explanation!

What is the 3-second formula when driving on the highway?

The 3-second formula is a formula created to reduce the risk of accidents when driving on toll roads. The calculation of the formula allows you to be at a safe distance when you make a sudden braking, preventing your car from getting hit by another car. The time it takes for humans to create a perception and for a mechanical reaction (vehicle) to happen on the road is 3 seconds. Within 3 seconds, you will process the events that are in front of your eyes and determine what you should do. Within 1.5 to 2 seconds, you can see the car in front of you is having trouble or applying sudden braking. Within 0.5 seconds to 1 second, your brain will process the incident and provide a vehicle mechanical reaction so you can stop the vehicle or avoid it quickly.

How is the 3-second formula when driving on the highway applied?

In practice, the 3-second formula when driving on the toll road can be applied according to the situations and conditions you face. Here's the application of the 3-second formula when driving on the toll road that you can do:

1. Make an indicator to step on the brake pedal

When entering or exiting the toll gate, sometimes you have to queue first. This is because there are only a few number of toll gates, but there are quite a lot of toll road users. In this situation, you should keep a safe distance so you don't crash into the car in front of you. The trick is to apply the 3-second formula using a benchmark when you see the car in front of you stop. For example, you can use road markings parallel to your car. These markings will become a benchmark when you see the car stop and step on the brake pedal.

2. Make sure the monitor and brake time is 3 seconds

When you are driving on a toll road, the car in front of you may stop suddenly. This can happen for various reasons such as a car unexpectedly changing lanes so that the car in front of you has to stop suddenly because it is too close. Make sure the time you need to monitor the car in front and step on the brake pedal is 3 seconds. Within 3 seconds, you can create a distance that is at least safe enough to avoid a collision.

3. Don't allow it to be less than 3 seconds

The safe distance between your car and the car in front of you is 3 seconds. If your monitoring time and braking time are less than 3 seconds, then you will have an unsafe distance between your car and the car in front of you. You will find it difficult to maneuver or avoid because you lack space to change the car's course. Make sure you always count 3 seconds when braking or keep your distance to avoid collisions.

What is the Safe Distance When Driving on the Toll Road?

When using the 3-second formula, you also have to know the safe distance on the toll road. According to the rules, the safe distance must be adjusted between the speed of your car and the speed of the car in front of you. The following are safe distance rules when driving on toll roads that you need to know:

When your car is traveling at 60 km/hour, the minimum safe distance between your car and other cars is 40 meters and the ideal distance is 60 meters.
When your car is traveling at 70 km/hour, the minimum safe distance between your car and other cars is 50 meters and the ideal distance is 70 meters.
When your car is traveling at 80 km/hour, the minimum safe distance between your car and other cars is 60 meters and the ideal distance is 80 meters.

That is the information about the 3-second formula when driving on the toll road. After knowing the rules for safe distance when driving on toll roads, you can determine the appropriate safe distance. Every 10 km increase in speed from a condition of 60 km, the safe distance of your car increases by 10 meters to 20 meters. Calculation of the 3-second formula when driving on the toll road is also suitable for use when a disturbance occurs. These disturbances can come from rainy weather which causes slippery roads or when your body feels tired. The 3-second formula can be used as a driving standard to maintain a safe distance on the highway. If there is a disturbance on the toll road and the 3-second formula is not safe enough, you may add 1 or 2 seconds according to the circumstance. Make sure you don't count for less than 3 seconds. If it's less than 3 seconds, you can experience a collision due to the sudden response and being too close to another car.

When driving on the highway, you should get used to using the 3-second formula. If you are confused about finding a high-performance car that is agile and comfortable for driving on toll roads or other roads, you can consider using a car rental service. Car rental can make your activities easier, you can also try various types of cars available. One of the trusted car rental services is MPM Rent. MPM Rent has the facility of drivers who are proficient at driving and have long driving hours so that you will get a safe and comfortable driving experience.

MPM Rent has more than 13,000 fleet units and 1,500 quality drivers and touchpoints spread throughout Indonesia. We provide various vehicle fleet variants for both office operational needs and personal needs. MPM Rent always ensures that the car is in the best condition for your comfort while driving. You can choose a long-term or short-term car rental according to your needs. Monthly or yearly car rental made easy at MPM Rent at the best prices. Please contact the nearest car rental service in your city.

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