From what length of a vehicle combination must you keep a sufficient distance from the vehicle in front outside the built-up area to allow an overtaking vehicle to file in?

In Germany, when driving outside built-up areas, if a vehicle combination (like a car towing a trailer) is longer than 7 meters, you must keep enough distance from it to allow another vehicle that wants to overtake to safely merge in front of you. This rule ensures smooth and safe traffic flow, preventing dangerous situations caused by vehicles trapped behind long combinations without room to pass. The key point is the 7-meter length threshold, which relates to how much space other drivers need to overtake safely. If the vehicle is shorter than 7 meters, this special distance rule does not apply.