§392.2 incorporates state traffic law by reference; "following too closely" is the FMCSA code for citations issued under each state's tailgating statute. Most states use a "one second per 10 feet of vehicle length, plus one second over 40 mph" or equivalent formula. Severity weight is 5 — the same as other moving-violation Unsafe Driving findings.
Severity weight
Severity weight 5, with the 24-month time-weighted scoring used by the Unsafe Driving BASIC. Multiple following-too-close citations on a small carrier's record can shift the BASIC percentile rank meaningfully because the carrier has so few miles to dilute the points.
How to prevent it
- Teach the four-second rule for tractor-trailers and reinforce in the driver-orientation packet.
- Set telematics following-distance alerts where the ELD/MDT supports it; document driver coaching when alerts fire.
- After any rear-end accident, retrain the driver — and document it. §391.25 supports the recordkeeping.
- Avoid scheduling that creates time pressure. Dispatch's role in safe following distance is real and FMCSA looks for it during compliance reviews.
How Roadworthy HQ helps
A following-too-close citation lands on the driver. Roadworthy HQ does not record individual violation codes, pull CSA or SMS scores, or track coaching. What it keeps is the driver file an auditor opens next: the annual MVR and the §391.25 annual review, each with reminders 60, 30, and 7 days out, and the qualification-file documents with their retention periods enforced. If the citation came from a roadside inspection, log that inspection on the vehicle (date, state, level, driver, number of violations, out-of-service or not).