When a driver is following another car, they need to maintain a safe following distance. Many experts define this as at least three seconds. But it can change depending on road conditions.
When someone drives too close to the next vehicle, this is known as tailgating, and it leads to serious rear-end accidents because a driver won’t have time to stop their car in an emergency. Here are three reasons drivers do this, despite how dangerous it is.
Aggressive driving
First of all, tailgating and road rage are often connected. The person may be driving aggressively on purpose. Maybe they think that the front driver cut them off, for instance. They are now tailgating because they are feeling angry or frustrated, and they just want to show that other driver their frustration.
Distracted or oblivious
In many cases, however, the tailgating driver isn’t being aggressive at all. They just have no idea that they are tailgating. They may not understand how to measure a proper following distance, for example, or they may be distracted and not thinking about how they’re driving at all. This often happens when drivers get distracted by their phones and do not pay enough attention to the gap between cars.
In a hurry
Finally, some tailgaters are just in a hurry. Maybe they left home too late to get to work on time. Maybe they rush everywhere that they go, and this is just how they drive. Rushing and hurrying often lead to tailgating because it is inevitable that they are going to encounter other drivers who are going at the speed limit.
When a tailgater causes a rear-end crash, it can lead to substantial injuries. Those who have been hurt need to know about their legal options to seek compensation.
