$^{ }$CARELESS  TODAY... CAR-LESS  TOMORROW WHAT THE LAW SAYS ABOUT FOLLOWING HOW TO AVOID REAR END COLLISIONS HOW TO KEEP FROM BEING STRUCK 1. Be sure brake lights are clean and working properly.  Flash brake lights when preparing to stop. 2. Know what is going on behind you.  Have an outside rear vision mirror and keep rear window clean and clear of frost and snow. 3. Signal well in advance  for lane changes, stops, or turns. The person behind you can’t read your mind. 4. Slow down gradually  over a long distance to give the drivers behind more time and space in which to react. 5. Keep pace with the traffic  within limitations of weather conditions and speed limits. 1. FOUR-SECOND RULE:  The easiest way to calculate a safe following distance is by the four-second interval method. Watch the back of the vehicle ahead of you pass some  definite point. Then count — “one thousand and one, one thousand and two, one thou- sand and three, one thousand and four.” That’s four seconds. If you pass the same point before you are finished counting, you are following too closely. When towing a trailer or the road surface is wet or slippery, increase the four seconds to six or more. You also can use the “Four Second Rule” at night to make sure you are not “over- driving your headlights.” 2. Watch for brake lights.  Shift your foot to the brake pedal promptly so you are ready to stop if necessary. 3. Watch for shrinking distance  between your car and the one ahead. This warns of impending crash with the vehicle ahead. 4. Watch for stopped and standing vehicles ahead.  Some drivers find it difficult to determine whether a distant car is in motion or stopped. Learn to relate vehicles to fixed  objects. 5. Look for problems  that might develop for the driver ahead of you. This makes it easy to react in time. The rear end crash is one of the major crash problems.  Traffic experts are convinced that rear end crashes can be  prevented if drivers will observe a few simple precautions  when following other vehicles.  A driver of a motor vehicle may not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable  and prudent, having due regard for speed, traffic, and conditions of the roadway. You also  have a duty to yield to following vehicles. AS 28.35.140 requires drivers on a two lane  roadway outside of an urban area to safely pull over when there are five or more vehicles  immediately behind.  Just as important as avoiding a crash with the vehicle ahead is to avoid being hit by the  vehicle behind. To lessen the likelihood of a rear-end crash, a driver who is stopped or in  the act of stopping can do a great deal. 