Class 7 Coach
Safe drivingQuestion 223 of 235
Two cars in a line. A tree is a fixed object ahead. An arrow between the cars shows 2 seconds.

The picture shows a two-second gap. How do you check that your gap is long enough?

  1. Count the lane lines between you and the vehicle ahead.
  2. Count the seconds that your brake lights stay on.
  3. Look at the speedometer and count to two.
  4. Count from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed mark. You are too close if you reach it before two seconds.
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Correct answer: Count from when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed mark. You are too close if you reach it before two seconds.

Pick a fixed object, such as a road mark or a shadow. If you reach it before you finish counting, slow down and count again.

Source: Driver’s Guide: Cars and Light Trucks (Government of Alberta, Spring 2026), Maintain your following time and distance, page 92

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Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026