When you are Driving too closely to the Vehicle in front, it’s known as Tailgating. It’s considered highly hazardous because of the extreme risk of a crash.

There’s a higher chance that you’ve also encountered Tailgating, even when you weren’t part of it. You may have witnessed vehicles driving nose to bumper with a person in front. However, it is far worse than lousy driving habits, which can cause road rage and avoidable hazards.

Perfect Manoeuvre is challenging when operating a commercial vehicle. It’s also understandable that tailgating takes place around HGV drivers, and it is not something to be excused.

In this article, we’ll explain what tailgating is, whether it is illegal in the UK, and what you should do if you find someone invading your personal space on the road.

What is tailgating?

Driving your vehicle dangerously close to a vehicle in front of you is considered tailgating. The precise gap between the two vehicles should be kept depending on factors such as weather conditions and speed.

A general Highway Code Recommended rule is keeping a two seconds gap in average weather and four seconds in wet weather – This accounts for both thinking and breaking time. Although, it’s not certain you’ll avoid the collision in an emergency, even at this distance.

The two-second rule guides us to maintain adequate space between you and the vehicle in front. But, it would be best if you left a more significant gap in the below situations:

• On high-speed motorways.
• While following an HGV such as a lorry.
• When there’s a wet and icy road.
• When there is limited visibility due to fog.

Must read: How to stay safe from tailgaters.

How to measure your distance from the vehicle in front?

Occasionally, you will encounter road signs, particularly on the motorways. Also, you might see roadside adverts promoting the two-second rule saying, ‘keep two chevrons apart.’

In other cases, you can calculate your distance by judging how long your vehicle takes to pass the fixed point. You can count the seconds after the vehicle passes a lamp post or a tree until you follow the same place.

The easiest way to measure your two-second distance is to say this mantra, ‘only a fool breaks the two-second rule‘ as it takes precisely two seconds to read!

Is tailgating illegal in the UK?

Tailgating is considered not only careless but also illegal in the UK. It’s stated as irresponsible driving. It’s an offence, including middle-lane hogging.

The UK police are permitted to issue on-the-spot charges of £100 with 3 points on your driving licence since 2013. Although, it is challenging to charge the offenders as they tend to get away with their actions.

What to do if you are being tailgated?

It’s not comfortable for drivers when someone gets too close. But if this ever happens, you can rely on the right decisions to resolve the matter. Here’s how you can deal with tailgaters:

✓ FOCUS

When you find yourself in a situation where someone is driving too close to you, their intentions are likely to distract you. But remember, your priority is to acknowledge every potential hazard, not just a lousy driver behind you.

✓ CHECK YOUR DRIVING HABIT

Ask yourself: Are you driving unnecessarily slow? Tailgating should not be tolerated, but it’s also your responsibility to acknowledge your driving that may provoke their behaviour.

Good drivers know how to make the right decisions in different situations (even if someone else is at fault).

✓ COMPENSATE

If you’re being tailgated, you must leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front. This extra time may prove essential in case you need to apply emergency brakes.

✓ ALLOW THE OFFENDERS TO PASS FURTHER

Sometimes, it’s best to separate yourself from the situation altogether. On the motorway, change your lane towards a slower one as soon as it becomes safe. On other roads, locate a good place to indicate & pull over. Let the offender overtake you, and then you can leave safely.

Understand the new penalties to tackle tailgating and middle lane hogging through the UK government portal.

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