Driver shares the last thing you should do with cars tailgating you

Todd Bialaszewski, auto expert and founder of Sell My Car Online, has issued an urgent warning over the rise of tailgating on UK roads.
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Whether you're a seasoned driver or a newbie behind the wheel, we all know how annoying and dangerous tailgating can be.

It's not just an annoyance; it's the loss of vital stopping distance that makes tailgating a real threat to safety.

Tailgating is more than just a nuisance; it's a leading cause of collisions on our roads and can result in serious injuries or even fatalities. So what should you do if you find yourself being pressured by a tailgater?

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Driving expert Annie Winterburn, of Spot On Driving, points out that many drivers are unsure how to handle this situation, warning that sudden braking could end in disaster. She advises: "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."

To deal with tailgaters effectively, Winterburn suggests "leaving a bigger gap between your car and the car in front of you". This strategy allows for a smoother deceleration if traffic stops abruptly and gives the following driver a chance to slow down without incident, reports Birmingham Live.

Annie, a driving instructor, highlighted an essential aspect from the driver's manual regarding tailgaters which could appear in the UK theory test. Meticulously advising learners, she said: "You should leave at least a 2-second time gap, on dry roads, between your car and the vehicle in front of you. This is doubled to 4-seconds on wet roads and is ten times the gap on icy roads. Ten times the gap is 20-seconds."

The DVSA underscores the gravity of driving attentively, pointing out that 'driving without due care and attention', like failing to handle tailgating properly, could lead to a fine starting at £100 and three penalty points. More serious infractions could result in court action.

National Highways has been proactive in dealing with the issue of tailgating which plays a role in one in every eight crashes on England's motorways and major A roads; they launched a campaign in 2022. The Highway Code advises maintaining a minimum two-second space from the vehicle ahead, a buffer that becomes significantly more important at higher speeds or in situations of low visibility such as tunnels.

For those wanting further information, the governments website serves up guidance stating that "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."

Jason Wakeford, head of campaigns at Brake, the road safety charity, emphasised: "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."