Mid-afternoon on Wednesday, July 23, saw a small fender-bender just east of Sooke. An east-bound vehicle stopped to turn left on Woodlands Road. Unfortunately, the vehicle behind it did not stop. According to Fire Chief Steve Sorensen, the injuries were minor, limited to soft tissue damage.
This incident serves as a gentle reminder to keep a safe distance between vehicles. ICBC recommends a minimum following distance of two-seconds. A $109 fine and penalty points can result.
“You need at least two seconds of space in front in good weather and road conditions,” reads the ICBC driver trainer manual (Chapter 5: See-Think-Do). “Increase your following distance to three seconds on high-speed roads and to four seconds in bad weather conditions or on uneven or slippery roads.”
Following too closely behind the vehicle in front is a major cause of crashes.