Tailgating – Stay Back, Stay Safe And Stay Calm

Tailgating is one of the main reasons drivers see red – and it’s easy to understand why.

Almost nine out of 10 motorists have been tailgated on UK roads, while one in eight road casualties are the result of this dangerous practice, says recent Government research.

Most of us have been there. We’re driving along safely and happily when we notice the car behind us is driving so close that he might as well be in our boot.

As well as being annoying, it’s frightening, intimidating and fraught with danger. If a tailgater is forced to brake suddenly then there’s no safe stopping distance. Similarly, the driver being tailgated can easily make mistakes if he’s feeling distracted and harassed by the vehicle following him.

But what should you do if you’re on the receiving end of such poor – and in many cases, bullying – driving behaviour?

Well, tempting as it might seem, you must not intermittently touch your brakes or slow right down “to teach the tailgater a lesson.” Dropping your speed to under the speed limit to try and cause the other vehicle to slow down can be just as hazardous as tailgating.

Do your best to try and keep calm.  Anger about being tailgated can easily escalate into road rage. While there is no excuse for bad driving, the person tailgating might not be doing it deliberately. He might be inexperienced and unaware of how much road should be left between himself and the car in front.

Check your own speed. If you’re in the outside lane of a motorway or dual carriageway and driving too slowly, switch lanes once it’s safe to move over.

If the person behind you appears impatient and is trying to get you to speed up, don’t. Stick within the speed limit, and rather than risk an accident or road rage incident, pull over when you can and let him pass you.  You’re not losing face by doing so – you’re protecting yourself, your passengers and other road users from potential harm.

Tailgating has become such a cause for concern that in 2018 Highways England launched its ‘Don’t be a Space Invader’ campaign, to remind drivers to ‘stay safe, stay back.’

The campaign’s website has useful advice on what to do if you’re tailgated, and it sends a clear message to those drivers who think it’s ok to drive too close to the car in front.

It’s also worth consulting the Highway Code and reminding ourselves exactly what it says about safe stopping distances.

Tailgating falls under the category of careless driving and carries a fixed £100 fine and three penalty points on your licence.   And, drivers whose tailgating results in a serious collision, could be looking at a driving ban or even prison.