>>>When it happens to me, I still drive defensively (staying one car length back at a minimum, more if it is raining)
Thats at 10 mph, correct? One car length for EVERY TEN MILES PER HOUR OF SPEED = safe following distance UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS. You don’t want to be a car length behind me at 60 mph....I have an on/off switch on my brake lights for those folks. I keep right and pass left...just don’t tail gate me. This ain’t NASCAR...There is no drafting on the highway.
Bad planning on your part does not constitute an automatic emergency on my part. Leave earlier.
I actually stay away from all other traffic as much as possible. You are right, if something goes wrong on the road, there are no (or fewer) vehicles to collide with if they aren’t nearby in the first place.
The 1-car-length-per-10-mph idea *is* subject to adjustment either way for:
1) Condition and ability of vehicle and driver
2) Vehicle being followed.
3) Road conditions
4) Other vehicles involved.
The latter requires some explanation. If you’re running a caravan of friends and you all are connected by radio or cell, there’s no problem with running nose to tail, with less than 20’ separation at speed - particularly if you put the worst-braking car in front and echelon back accordingly.
As for no drafting on the highway? Tell that to the long chain of semis on 75 at this moment...