Tailgating menace highlights road safety issues

An appalling forty-five percent of motorists regularly increase their chances of a serious accident due to tailgating, according a new report from tyre manufacturer, Avon.

Over the course of a week researchers from Avon Tyres monitored the number of vehicles, travelling at an average of 50mph, which failed to leave significantly less than the recommended gap of 2 seconds in the dry and 4 seconds in the wet, conditions we’re moving into with the onset of autumn.

The group found most likely to tailgate were those who drive for a living, with four in every five taxis, and 98 percent of lorries caught without a sufficient gap to the next vehicle. This compared to an average of 50 percent for passenger vehicles, and a surprisingly considerate figure of just over 1 in 10 for White Van Man.

The most common time for offenders was during the afternoon rush hour when the rate of tailgating leapt to nearly 60 percent on average. The figure fell to 32 percent around mid-day.

The implication of tailgating could be fatal. In perfect conditions the average car travelling at 50mph will take the equivalent of 13 car lengths to come safely to a halt. However, unless the tyres are at their optimum the stopping distance dramatically increases in the wet – by as much as 40 percent if the tread wears down to the legal minimum of 1.6mm.

A recent partnership combining the Police and the Tyre Industry Council highlighted the severity of the problem. It found one in ten vehicles have at least one defective tyre, and a further 11 percent have a tyre with less than 2mm of tread remaining.

"Tailgating not only reduces the ability to avoid a crash if sudden braking is needed, it also acts as a means of intimidating the driver in front," warns Malcolm Jones of Avon Tyres. "When you combine all the facts governing the ability to stop, it is alarming that so many motorists continue to ignore the road safety message. It is not advice for advice’s sake. It could save serious injury."

According to experts at Avon Tyres, tread depths should be checked at least once a month. "All modern tyres now incorporate tread wear indicators in the main grooves which warn that the remaining tread has approached the minimum legal requirement of 1.6mm. Once tread wears down level with these indicators, it’s time for a tyre change," adds Jones.

Avon’s findings come shortly after an RAC Foundation study revealed tailgaters are the single biggest cause of worry for British motorists.