According to National Highways, an average of 147 people are killed or seriously injured every year due to tailgating. Moreover, 1 in 8 collisions are caused by tailgating.
National Highways is a Government body that is responsible for managing, maintaining, and improving England’s motorways and major A-roads. It has issued a campaign to combat tailgating, named ‘Too Close for Comfort? Stay Safe, Stay Back’. This urges drivers to maintain a two-second gap between cars.
Tailgating induces more than physical risk. In fact, 60% of motorists report feeling uncomfortable or intimidated, with an increase in anxiety. National Highways has compared tailgating to someone invading your personal space in everyday life.
The two-second rule
The highway code states that as a driver you should leave at least a two second gap between you, and the driver in front. This not only prevents dangerous driving but also allows faster-moving traffic.
To apply the two-second rule, pick a static object when you are driving behind a vehicle. When the vehicle ahead passes that object, say to yourself, ‘Only a fool breaks the two-second rule.’ If you reach the object before you finish saying it, you’re too close and need to drop back.
When driving on wet roads, the gap should be doubled, and when on icy roads, the gap should be ten times greater. Similarly, if you are an HGV driver, the gap should be bigger at all times.
What to do if you are in this situation
If you believe you are being tailgated, to avoid any serious effects, it is recommended you:
- Stay calm and in control of your vehicle
- Allow them to overtake
- If you are on a dual carriageway or motorway, stay in the left-hand lane.
- Travel at a safe speed – do not speed up
- Do not intentionally slow down to irritate the driver
- Don’t stare in the rear-view mirror
Consequences
Not only are there these human impacts, but tailgating is also a criminal offence and can constitute dangerous or careless driving, with the consequences of a £100 fine and three penalty points on a driver’s licence.
If tailgating results in a crash, this could cause death, serious injury, whiplash injuries, and psychological trauma for those involved.
Comment
Many tailgating incidents are entirely avoidable. When drivers ignore safe following distances, they not only endanger lives, but they also expose themselves to liability. Here at Nelsons, our experienced personal injury team supports victims of road traffic accidents in securing the compensation they deserve; If you or someone you know has been injured in a road traffic accident, please do not hesitate to contact us.
How can we help?
Holly-Louise Batey is a Paralegal in our Personal Injury team, which is ranked in Tier One by the independently research publication, The Legal 500.
If you have any questions in relation to the topics discussed in this article, please contact Holly or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
Contact us