60-6,140. Following vehicles; restrictions.

(1) The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, and such driver shall have due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the roadway.

(2) The driver of any motor vehicle drawing a trailer, semitrailer, or another vehicle, when traveling upon a roadway outside of a business or residential district, who is following another vehicle shall, subject to varying road conditions, leave sufficient space so that an overtaking vehicle may enter and occupy such space without danger and shall not follow another motor vehicle drawing a trailer, semitrailer, or another vehicle more closely than one hundred feet. This subsection shall not prevent a vehicle from overtaking and passing any other vehicle.

(3) The driver of a motor vehicle upon any roadway outside of a business or residential district in a caravan or motorcade, whether or not towing other vehicles, shall operate such vehicle so as to allow sufficient space between each such vehicle or combination of vehicles so as to enable any other vehicle to enter and occupy such space without danger. This subsection shall not apply to funeral processions.

(4) The driver of any motor vehicle when traveling upon a roadway outside of a business or residential district shall not follow any highway maintenance vehicle more closely than one hundred feet if:

(a) Such highway maintenance vehicle is engaged in plowing snow, removing deposited material from the surface of the road, or spreading salt, sand, or other material upon the surface of the road or is in motion on or near the traveled portion of a road performing other highway maintenance duties; and

(b) Such highway maintenance vehicle is displaying a flashing amber or white light.

This subsection shall not prevent a vehicle from overtaking and passing any other vehicle.

(5) The driver of any motor vehicle, when traveling upon a roadway outside of a business or residential district, who is following another vehicle displaying flashing amber or white lights shall not follow such vehicle more closely than one hundred feet. This subsection shall not prevent a vehicle from overtaking and passing any other vehicle.

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Annotations

A state trooper had probable cause to stop a vehicle, in which the defendant was a passenger, for following too closely, despite the trooper's statement that he had a hunch the passengers could be involved in transporting contraband. The trooper testified that he observed the vehicle following one car length behind a semi-truck while both vehicles were traveling over 70 miles per hour in the rain; thus, the trooper's alleged ulterior motivation for the stop was irrelevant. State v. Draganescu, 276 Neb. 448, 755 N.W.2d 57 (2008).