How to deal with tailgating drivers

Chances are, you have been in a situation where you feel that you are being followed too closely by another vehicle. And chances are, you may have inadvertently driven too close to a car in front of you.

Broadly speaking, tailgating means driving without sufficient distance between vehicles to avoid a crash. Most drivers underestimate the distance needed to stop their vehicle.

Keeping a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front (a three second gap) is essential for safe driving. When travelling at higher speeds, increase the distance to allow at least five seconds so you have enough time to react and brake.

The consequences of tailgating

In NSW, rear end collisions make up the most recorded crash type, with a whopping 15,151 incidents reported on our roads in the five-year period between 2017 and 2021. Perhaps unsurprisingly, metro areas are overrepresented in the statistics with 11,896 rear-enders versus regional NSW’s 3,255 over this timeframe.

In a rear-end car crash involving two cars, the car that hit from behind is usually considered liable. The penalties for tailgating are a $469 fine and 3 demerit points.

What should I do if I find myself being tailgated?

Do not allow the tailgater driver to intimidate or force you to take risks behind the wheel. Remain calm and don’t allow your emotions to get the better of you. Instead, stay in control of the vehicle so that you can drive safely and allow them to pass. 

Avoid slowing down or flashing your brake lights, as this may escalate the situation. Rather than taking matters into your own hands, report the driver to police or the business to which the vehicle belongs. 

Create a safer environment for all road users

Keeping a 3 second gap (6 seconds in the wet) from the vehicle in front will ensure you have enough time to react and stop in most emergencies. Many of the crashes that happen each day could be avoided if drivers kept their crash avoidance space.

Understanding crash avoidance space

As a driver, you should adjust your speed and position to keep a safe distance from vehicles in front and to the sides of your vehicle. This is called your crash avoidance space.  To work out the crash avoidance space to the front of your vehicle, you need to take into account two key factors – reaction time and response time:

• Reaction time is the time a driver needs to see and understand a situation, decide on a response, and then start to take action. A driver who is fit and alert and not affected by alcohol, drugs or fatigue, needs about 1.5 seconds to react to a hazard. At higher speeds it increases to about 2.5 seconds.
• Response time is the time a driver needs to take action. Most people need at least 1.5 seconds to respond, for example, to brake.

In good driving conditions, most people need a 3-second crash avoidance space (often called the 3-second gap) to react and respond to a situation safely and avoid a crash.

Keep calm and don't tailgate

Tailgating won’t help a driver reach their destination any quicker. Instead, it will increase their chances of being involved in a serious accident and not making it at all.

Should you find yourself being tailgated, remain calm and drive as normal. Scan your surroundings, prioritise safety and focus on the road ahead.