Drivers are being urged to follow the 'two second rule' to reduce the risk of collisions. While many motorists say they are aware of the dangers of driving too close to the vehicle in front, National Highways said tailgating remains a problem that can have devastating consequences.
The Highway Code tells drivers to allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster-moving traffic and in tunnels where visibility is reduced. 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.
The gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads. A recent trial of new tailgating cameras on a stretch of the M1 captured 60,343 incidents of vehicles driving too close, in just one year.
