Anyone who keeps the correct distance while driving will be punished. Not from the police, but from other drivers. If you keep a two-second gap during rush hour on the A1, you will reap a close drive from behind and above all many, many cars that change lanes and jostle into the correct space in front of you.
The gap is also felt to be large even at 1.5 seconds. Fatal, because: Too little distance is almost normal, but can cost thousands of francs and a driver’s license. In Switzerland, distance measurements are rare compared to other countries. Also because there are no fixed fines for it. But every individual case goes to court – and that is always expensive.
How much distance is enough?
The traffic rules regulation remains vague, but benchmarks have been established, for example through court decisions. The internal guidelines vary from canton to canton, but the general rule is: “Half a speedometer in meters” or over 1.8 seconds is legal, for example at 120 km / h from around 60 meters.
Less than 1.8 seconds apart, in lighter cases, you usually get a few hundred francs (e.g. GR guide value 400 CHF) plus fees, with less distance, more. It gets hearty in less than 0.6 seconds. Example cantons of Zurich and Graubünden: at 11 to 15 percent of the speed in meters (at 120 km / h 13 to 18 m) ten daily rates. With an example net salary of 5000 francs per month, a daily rate is rounded to 120 francs (calculator here). So the fine would come to 1200 francs. Plus the court fees, of course.
Fines over a month’s wage
In the ZH / GR example, the next level is 20 daily rates, i.e. 2400 francs for a net wage of 5,000 francs. With a distance of only five percent (at 120 km / h 6 m!) The daily rates are 45 in Zurich and 50 in Graubünden. That makes 5400 or 6000 francs in the example! Each plus fees. Depending on the canton and court, circumstances or reputation, it could be cheaper or suspended, but above all it could be significantly more expensive. Not to mention extreme cases with even more blatant shortfalls.
What about the driver’s license? That too varies greatly. Minor offenses (usually 1.2 to 1.8 s) usually go on without withdrawal. Moderately difficult (probably usually 0.6 to 1.2 s) can lead to a month of walking. A severe case (0.5 s) will in most cases mean three months on foot, but two years are possible if the circumstances are right.
Just count
Blick advises: You are much more often too close than you think. Instead of the feeling, pay attention to delineators (50 meters from each other on the motorway) or the distance warning system that is often built into the car today (see picture gallery). Or count the seconds: memorize the point the car in front of us is just passing, then count «twenty-one – twenty-two». Not just to avoid a fine. But because little distance is also very dangerous.