What causes accidents: tailgating
Driving too close to a vehicle is dangerous for the very simple reason that you have too little time to react should something unexpected happen. And when you consider how many road journeys there are each day, everyday there are situations where something unexpected happens for someone, leading to an accident.
Many people think that they can safely follow a car and will be able to react to road conditions, but the basic laws of physics and motion can't be beaten - you can't stop a vehicle safely more quickly than its stopping distance whether you believe it or not!
Many drivers tailgate through impatience, or because they are trying to beat the traffic lights to save time, or even to put pressure on the driver infront to speed up.
If someone is tail gating you, it is actually often recommended that you slow down to force them to push back a little. In terms of your own behaviour, you should always be thinking about your stopping distance and road conditions as necessary. Therefore you should drop back in conditions where you feel you are too close to the car or vehicle in front, particularly if doing so would lead to you following another vehicle blindly.
Related Articles...
Dealing with nerves
Learning to drive can make people nervous, and even if you are a confident
driver then you may get nervous before the driving test itself. If this
happens to you, then don't worry. It is only...
How to pass the hazard perception test
First you need to understand just what a hazard is. Broadly, it is any element that can introduce risk into the driving scenario.
There are various different types of hazard that are...
Understanding illuminated signals on motorways
The location of the signs and signals that you see on motorway itself tells you some information: who it applies to.
Signs at the edge of the road will apply to all drivers, whilst those that...
What details to get at an accident
When you swap details with a driver, here are the things that you should be sure to obtain from the other driver:
You need to of course get their name, their address and a contact telephone...
Tips on driving in half light
Most drivers prefer driving in the day in good light in optimum road conditions, because these are the best conditions in which to see exactly what is going on in the road.
However there are...
Your ignition system explained
The ignition system is of course an essential part of the technology that allows cars to function, and without it you would not get very far. But what does it do? Well the system provides the...
The risk of accidents - some statistics
No-one wants to think that they will be involved in an accident, but being aware that an accident could happen to you and the statistics is important. Accidents happen to ordinary people, so anyone...
What are driving offences
Driving offences are what happens when you do not meet your obligations as a road user.
This could be something like not having the correct documentation that you require or something much...
The Driving Standards Agency
The Driving Standards Agency has a website at www.dsa.gov.uk.
They are an executive agency within the Department for Transport in the UK.
They deliver tests for theory and practical...
Who needs to take a theory test
A theory test is part of the process required for anyone who wants to become a qualified driver in the UK. There are two stages to being a standard car driver: first passing a theory test, and then...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions
