The Ministry of Interior's (MoI) official Facebook page recently raised the issue of maintaining a safe distance between vehicles on the road.

The two-second rule is normally followed for safe distance in ideal conditions. But given the road and weather conditions and other factors this may have to be increased to three or four seconds.

According to a report, the two-second rule is a 'rule of thumb' by which a driver may maintain a safe following distance at any speed.

The rule is that a driver should ideally stay at least two seconds behind any vehicle that is directly in front of the driver's vehicle. It is intended for automobiles, although its general principle applies to other types of vehicles. 

The MoI requested motorists to leave adequate space between one's vehicle and the vehicle in front to ensure the safety of both, in case an emergency stoppage is required.

However, when it comes to driving behind emergency vehicles such as an ambulance and the police, Lekhwiya and Civil Defence vehicles, the ministry's post specifically urged motorists to keep their distance at least 50 metres behind.