Leave useful space when stopped and adjust it to the traffic behind you.
Leave useful space when stopped and adjust it to the traffic behind you.
Each section below follows an explanation or demonstration in the video. Select a section to play from that point, then practise the skill with appropriate supervision.
The lesson gives several reasons for a stopping cushion: room to move if rear traffic cannot stop, room around a broken-down vehicle, and protection from a vehicle rolling back on a hill. Any escape or forward movement still needs its own safety check.
The video compares stopping positions using the view of the rear tyres and roadway behind them. Use that visual cue as a starting point and adjust for your vehicle and conditions. Avoid both crowding the car ahead and leaving an unnecessarily large gap.
If you are the last car at a light, monitor the rear mirror and leave extra room until approaching traffic slows behind you. Useful cushions in congestion also make it easier for others to change lanes. Do not treat the video’s collision example as a universal ruling on insurance fault.
Book a North Vancouver driving lesson with Zula and work on the skills covered in this guide.