161 feet is more than three car lengths

To the editor:

The April 8, 2012, issue of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman had an article about a criminal case against a Michael Carney, which was dropped. I don’t know the evidence, so I defer to the prosecutor’s decision, but I disagree with a statement made by Mr. Carney’s lawyer, Josh Fannon, about three car lengths for following.

The Alaska Administrative Code controls driving offenses. In it, 13 AAC 02.090 (a) requires a driver to follow another vehicle not “more closely than is reasonable and prudent and at least two seconds behind the vehicle.”

At 55 mph, two seconds equals approximately 161 feet, which is greater than three car lengths. I certainly hope Mr. Carney’s lawyer changes his opinion before he gets educated via a traffic ticket from Alaska State Troopers.

J.B. Friderici

Willow