Don’t you just hate it when standing in line to receive your order at a fast food outlet, and someone stands too close? Imagine if there was a rule that prohibited people from doing that. Now, imagine cars have a rule like this to ensure other drivers don’t tailgate and drive too close. Well, there is such a rule—it’s called the 2-second rule, and it is here to stay.
Discover how you can help your fleet stay compliant with this easy-to-use rule.
The 2-second rule is a safe tailing rule that helps drivers maintain a safe following distance. The rule requires drivers to keep a minimum distance to avoid the risk of collision due to being too close. The 2-second rule is generally enforced on small vehicles but applies to all vehicles travelling on public roads in Singapore.
When you’re too focused on getting to your destination, it may be hard to determine the distance between your car and the cars around you. The 2-second rule helps alleviate the pressure of having to calculate the distance. A simple count prevents your car from crashing into another. This not only helps with collisions but also reduces potential road rage incidents.
The 2-second rule provides a secure interval between drivers to prevent vehicle damage; think of it a protective barrier between you and a hefty vehicle repair invoice. To estimate the distance, a driver can count 2 seconds until a vehicle in front of them passes a marked point on the road such as a tree or a street pole. Once the driver has passed this point, you can follow and continue with your journey.
This doesn’t mean you need to bring your vehicle to a halt and wait for the right time to start driving; if you’re already on the road and you realise that your following distance is a bit tight, just lightly hit the brakes and slow down a bit until you can count to two.
The main reason and purpose of the 2-second rule is safety. It allows road users enough time to react should anything happen on the road. When enforced, the rule helps with avoiding aggressive drivers who like to tailgate, it also reduces the stress of having to deal with insurance consultants for claims.
As mentioned, extra time is added for larger vehicles and when pulling a trailer. The rule is also different for motorcyclists, as bikes have more traction on the road. Motorcycles keep a 4-second distance on the road rather than two due to their grip. The more weight on the bike, the more pressure on the tyres. If the road is wet, the bike will likely have less grip, making it more prone to slipping.
These rules are implemented to proactively promote safe driving and avoid accidents for all vehicle types travelling on Singaporean roads. They provide room to stop without colliding and allow you to maintain a clear view of your surroundings, resulting in better visibility and more time to react should a hazard occur.
Reckless driving in Singapore has serious consequences that you, as a fleet manager or owner, should avoid to maintain a stellar reputation and sidestep unnecessary costs and admin. The penalties depend on the offence:
Demerit points: Using the Driver Improvement Points System, demerit points are allocated to the driver should they be caught exceeding the speed limit and will depend on the speed and can result in license suspension.
Composition fines: A composition fine is paid when a driver is responsible for a minor traffic offence, such as driving above the speed limit. Instead of appearing in court, the driver receives a ticket notice reading “Offer of composition”, and they need to pay a fine determined by the vehicle’s speed and weight when the offence took place.
Driver’s license revocation or suspension: A new driver who has obtained more than 13 demerit points during their probationary period will have their license revoked. Drivers who are not on probation and have never had their license suspended will have their license suspended for up to 12 weeks if they get 24 or more demerit points.
Prosecution in court: Exceeding the speed limit by more than 40 km/h is considered a serious crime and will result in the offender appearing in court. Repeat offenders can get up to 10 years in jail.
Singapore takes driver safety and road rules seriously. By making sure you and your fleet follow these simple rules, you can focus on what really matters—your fleet’s success.
Considered the safest roads in the region, Singapore is proving to be a force to be reckoned with. The safety measures that the Land Transport Authority has put in place to prevent accidents have assisted in putting Singapore’s safety on the global map. Vehicles that are 3 to 10 years old are required to have an inspection every two years, and vehicles older than 10 years need a yearly inspection.
The steps to promote safe driving include:
The LTA encourages safe driving by enforcing fines for illegal parking, impound notices for foreign vehicles, and not following road signals. Technology helps locate drivers who break road laws. The Intelligent Transport System (ITS) uses gadgets in Singapore's tunnels, roads, and expressways to gather information on traffic and the overall flow of vehicles on the road. It is safe to say that Singapore is ahead of its time in accident and law-breaking prevention.
Urban environments such as Singapore are bound to have a lot of traffic due to the increasing population and people resorting to purchasing vehicles for easy commuting. What needs to be remembered is safety, and the goal is to reach your destination in one piece. This can be done by simply following these tips:
These are excellent ways to avoid aggressive driving in urban areas that may be combusted in traffic. Finding the right behaviours and implementing routines that help make driving easier for you will help you maintain a good track record and have fewer driving tickets.
Harsh driving is one of the main factors in road accidents. Avoiding it helps avoid traffic fines. But what is regarded as harsh driving? Braking or accelerating too fast, veering off too quickly, turning without indication, and switching lanes illicitly are considered harsh driving. You do not want to be the person everyone tries to avoid on the road because of careless driving.
One way you can keep tabs on irresponsible driving behaviour in your fleet is by using our behaviour monitoring solution. Our smart feature picks up every time a driver accelerates or brakes harshly, takes a sharp turn or speeds, and conveniently provides the information on a driver scorecard. This allows you to not only know when you need to address your drivers about these behaviours but also how to create corrective training that works.
Following the 2-second rule requires your drivers to keep their eyes on the road. Our AI camera solutions give you full visibility over your drivers by offering real-time visual and audio streaming capabilities. By sending instant audible alerts when drivers show signs of distracted or fatigued behaviour like yawning, smoking, or cell phone use, you ensure that distracted behaviour that could lead to accidents is corrected on the spot.
Well-maintained vehicles with up-to-date maintenance and repairs are the safest workspaces you can give your drivers and other motorists. Cartrack’s real-time vehicle health monitoring helps you spot problems like work brake pads or low oil levels immediately and also assists with smart maintenance scheduling, ensuring you don’t spend a fortune on maintenance your fleet doesn’t need.
With Cartrack’s MiFleet cost management system, you don’t need to worry about safety concerns due to a lack of maintenance. Set and receive timely reminders to keep your fleet in top shape while streamlining all your fleet-related admin to keep track of toll fees, vehicle registrations, and insurance documents.
Talk to one of our agents today.
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Have you heard of the 2-second rule? Find out how to transform fleet safety in Singapore with this simple rule.
