Tailgating is not only annoying, it is also a safety hazard playing a part in one in eight accidents on major roads
Whether you’re an experienced motorist or just starting out, having someone riding your bumper can be absolutely maddening. However, it’s far more than just an irritation; it poses a genuine safety risk by removing the vital stopping distance required should you need to brake unexpectedly.
Tailgating ranks among the leading causes of road crashes and can result in serious injuries or even deaths in extreme cases. So what’s the best course of action when you discover someone glued to your rear bumper?
Annie Winterburn, who owns Spot On Driving, highlights that numerous motorists remain uncertain about tackling this problem, since stopping sharply could trigger a crash. The motoring expert recommends: “If the car behind is too close to you and you have to brake suddenly, that car behind you will crash into the back of you. So you have to make sure you don’t have to brake suddenly.”
For handling tailgaters safely, the expert proposes to “leave a bigger gap between your car and the car in front of you”. This approach enables you to reduce speed gradually should the vehicle ahead halt suddenly, allowing the tailgater to slow down without mishap.
The driving instructor noted that this regularly appears in theory examinations, underlining its significance for British motorists. She went on to explain: “You should leave at least a two-second time gap, on dry roads, between your car and the vehicle in front of you. This is doubled to four seconds on wet roads and is ten times the gap on icy roads. Ten times the gap is 20 seconds.”, reports the Daily Record.
The DVLA has reinforced the legal consequences of ‘driving without due care and attention’, such as tailgating. Offenders caught too close to another vehicle risk a minimum fine of £100 and three penalty points, with more severe cases possibly leading to court action.
In response to tailgating contributing to one in eight accidents on England’s motorways and major A roads, National Highways launched a campaign in 2022. The Highway Code recommends keeping at least a two-second gap from the car in front, particularly where speeds are higher or visibility lower, like in tunnels.
Further details on the government’s website clarify: “The gap should be wider as speeds increase. It rises to 2.4 seconds – about 53 metres – when driving at 50mph and 3.1 seconds – or 96 metres – at 70mph.”
Brake’s head of campaigns, Jason Wakeford, emphasised the importance of maintaining safe distances: “It’s vital that drivers leave enough distance between the vehicle in front in order to react in time to any sudden dangers. We’d urge everyone to respect the two-second rule to keep them, and others on the road, safe.”
