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...
The New Drivers Act
The New Drivers Act is legislation that applies to those who have just passed their test and are categorised as new drivers, which in this legal definition refers to the first two years of passing...
What causes accidents: junctions
An alarmingly high proportion of accidents happen in and around junctions.
This is because of the combination of busy roads, traffic that can be nose to tail and people crossing all sorts of...
When to expect your licence
The answer to this question depends on whether you have a licence issued after March 2004 or not, which was a photocard driving licence. If so, then you h'll have the option to get it...
Your vehicle and driving
There is a lot to take in when you are learning to drive and when you are preparing for the driving theory test. Whilst a lot of it is common sense there is a considerable amount of information you...
Why new drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident
It is a well known statistic that new drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, and indeed insurance companies definitely know this as you'll see by comparing premiums as a new driver...
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...
Working out what a road sign means
There are many signs that you will see day in day out as a driver and are obvious to understand. For instance signs that tell you the maximum speed limit on the road you're on. For some reason,...
Testing your driving ability
The driving part of the test to assess if you are safe to let on the roads is called the practical test, and it lasts in the region of 40 minutes in total. The purpose is to assess if you can drive...
What causes accidents: overtaking
When you overtake a vehicle, there are often many things to consider.
First of all you need to ensure that it is, as far as you are aware, safe to do so. Therefore don't overtake close to...
Rules regarding the use of seat belts
When it comes to seat belts, you should be certain of what the rules are with regard to seat belt usage, and your responsibilities as the driver in terms of other passengers in your vehicle and...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions
