What does Oregon's handbook define as a safe following distance under most conditions?
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A.
10 seconds.
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B.
1 second.
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C.
2-4 seconds. Correct
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D.
5-7 seconds.
The answer is "2-4 seconds."
A safe following distance is 2-4 seconds. At speeds greater than 30 mph, the handbook recommends 4 seconds or more, since the extra second gives you time to make a decision and take action. Wet roads, heavy loads, and reduced visibility call for even more space. B tempts anyone who mistakes the manual's too-close warning for the target: under 2 seconds is where following-too-closely begins, not where safe distance sits.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. 10 seconds.
10 seconds is well above the handbook's 2-4 second range. This answer confuses following distance with a far longer rule; the manual defines 2-4 seconds, not 10.
B. 1 second.
1 second is below the 2-second floor; the manual's own check says you are following too closely if you reach the same spot before counting at least two seconds. This answer treats the 'too close' threshold as the safe distance; under 2 seconds is following too closely, not safe.
D. 5-7 seconds.
Extra space is always safer, but the published rule is 2-4 seconds, not 5-7. This answer inflates the published range; the manual defines 2-4 seconds, not 5-7.
This question tests your knowledge of Defensive Driving in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Maintaining a Space Cushion, Following Distance," p.26..
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