Military Convoy Etiquette:
Over the past few months of driving along various interstates through Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana I’ve come across a few military convoys. Each time the convoys have been led and trailed by a hummer. Inbetween the humvees there have been a numerous trucks: semis carrying tanks, bradley fighting vehicles, and heavy machinery, fuel trucks, personnel carriers, and others. These convoys have also been numerous lengths.
As I’ve been driving I’ve noticed that the front humvee carries a sign stating something to the effect of “convoy following”: in addition the humvee at the end of the convoy carries a sign with something to the effect that it is at the end of the convoy. The real question that came from all of this is that I began to notice a pattern and have not been able to find any answers to my questions anywhere online. I’m hoping someone can answer these questions:
1. Is there some form of standard following-distance rule in the military? It seems that each vehicle in each of the convoys I’ve passed have all been approx. the same distance from one another.
2. Is there a standard speed at which a convoy travels? I assume it’s the max speed that the slowest vehicle can travel…some research has shown that in Ohio the convoy must maintain at least 45mph.
3. Is there some sort of unspoken rule that a civilian vehicle should not (or is not allowed to) enter into a military convoy? No matter the length of the convoys I’ve encountered, from 6 vehicles to 21 vehicles, I have not seen a civilian vehicle (be it a passenger car or semi) enter into the convoy.
If anyone can answer those questions it’d be appreciated, especially my military friends. As I said I can’t find any answers on line and am curious about this, at least perceived, etiquette.







