Many at-work drivers pose tailgating and speeding threat

At-work drivers are more likely to tailgate and speed on motorways and in towns than other drivers, research published by national road safety charity Brake and Green Flag reveals. The research indicates that the majority of at-work drivers are feeling pressurised to get somewhere fast, risking lives.

Six in ten at-work drivers (61%) admit leaving less than a two-second gap between their vehicle and the vehicle in front, compared to four in ten other drivers (40%).

Three-quarters of at-work drivers (74%) admit speeding at 80mph or more on motorways, compared to half of other drivers (49%)

More than three-quarters of at-work drivers (77%) admit driving at 35mph in a 30mph limit, compared to six in ten other drivers (62%)

Speeding is known to be a contributory factor in more than a quarter of deaths on UK roads (27%).
In 2006 856 people died and 4,998 people were seriously injured in crashes with ‘exceeding the speed limit’ or ‘travelling too fast for the conditions’ as a contributory factor. The faster we drive, the less time we have to react and the harder we hit.

Tailgating (or ‘following too close’) was a contributory factor in at least 54 deaths in 2006, with research showing motorways are a particular hotspot for this problem. The Highway Code tells drivers never to get closer to the vehicle in front than the stopping distance needed for the speed they are travelling. It recommends allowing at least a two-second gap between their vehicle and the vehicle in front. This distance should be doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads.

Brake is calling for:

the Department for Transport to publish its research into satellite-controlled speed limiters (Intelligent Speed Adaptation, or ISA) and if it is as successful as early results have suggested, roll out to all vehicles. In the meantime, the Government should step up funding for speed cameras and traffic police, to ensure drivers don’t break speed limits or drive too close.

Parliament to send a strong message to drivers that if they choose to endanger others’ lives, they will be caught and punished by:

raising the fixed penalty for speeding to six points, with a fine of £1,000.

bringing legislation to enable the Criminal Justice System to treat all unsafe driving as ‘dangerous’ driving. In the meantime, the Crown Prosecution Service should step up numbers of prosecutions for careless driving (for driving too close) and dangerous driving (for driving ‘much’ too close) to ensure that drivers who risk lives through tailgating do not get away with it.

companies to plan all journeys carefully to ensure that at-work drivers do not come under pressure to tailgate or speed.

tough penalties to be brought against employers putting drivers under pressure to break the law and drive dangerously, including penalties for breaches of an employer’s ‘duty of care’ under health and safety legislation and, where relevant, penalties for organisations under the new corporate manslaughter law (due to commence on 6 April 2008) and penalties for individual managers and directors under existing ‘gross negligence manslaughter’ legislation.

Liz Voysey’s daughter Amy was killed in 2004, aged 19. A lorry collided with her car while overtaking a moped and left her car stranded in the outside lane of the dual carriageway. Amy waited with her hazard lights on, unable to get to safety due to heavy traffic. Many drivers saw her stranded vehicle and manoeuvred around her but she was hit by a van being driven for work by a lift repair engineer, travelling at more than 80mph (the limit for a commercial vehicles on this type of road is 60 mph). He did not brake in time and crashed into Amy, who died at the scene. The driver was fined £300 and given seven points on his licence. Liz, from Norfolk , says: “Driving too close and speeding means you don’t give yourself room to react in a crisis and the faster you’re travelling when you crash, the more terrible the consequences will be. Why should innocent people like my daughter Amy die because a driver was in a rush and thought he was above the law? A life is more important than being late. At the end of the day speeding is an offence and limits are imposed to protect us all. Amy would probably have survived the crash if her killer had not been speeding.”

Cathy Keeler , Head of Campaigns for Brake says: “It’s horrifying that so many drivers admit breaking such basic road rules as leaving a two-second gap or sticking to the speed limit, especially when they drive for work. Work pressures are no excuse for impatient and aggressive driving. Given the terrible death toll of nine people killed every day on our roads, there can be no room for complacency.”

Matt Owen, spokesperson for Green Flag, says: “We urge all drivers to stay within the speed limit and to be aware of the space between themselves and the car in front when driving. Both speeding and tail-gating are extremely dangerous and can have serious consequences. Drivers should make sure they plan their journeys properly so that they allow time to get from A to B safely.”