Why It’s Dangerous to Tailgate

It can happen to anyone. You are driving down the road, going about your own business, when you see someone in your rearview mirror who is following you a bit too closely.

Tailgating, when another motorist is following a car at an uncomfortably close distance, is a pretty common sight on American roadways. This is a bad driving habit that can be extremely dangerous and is the cause of thousands of car crashes each and every year.

When you tailgate another driver, it will not help you get where you are going any faster. It just creates the chance of possibly irritating the driver in the car in front of you to the point they want to tap their brakes. This could result in you rear-ending their vehicle or another car on the roadway.

Tips to Avoid Tailgating Crashes

Here are some tips to keep in mind to avoid being involved in an accident resulting from tailgating:

  • Always allow at least ten feet of space for every 10 miles per hour of your driving speed. This means that if you are driving 60 mph you should have a minimum of 60 feet between you and the vehicle you are following. This will give you enough time to come to a complete and sudden stop if necessary and provide for you and the other driver’s safety.
  • Check your speed and be aware of the vehicle in front of you. Remain focused and give enough time to stop to prevent colliding with the car you are following.
  • In case you are driving in inclement weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or ice, you should provide the double the amount of space that you would normally need when following another vehicle. This means that when traveling 60 mph, in inclement weather conditions, you should have at least 120 feet of space between you and the other car. It will take much longer to come to a complete stop when driving in poor roadway conditions.
  • You should allow even more distance between yourself and certain types of vehicles like motorcycles and larger cars because they require a much longer stopping distance than normal passenger vehicles.

Remember, you should only tailgate at Tennessee football games, not when driving on the road!

Tailgating Accidents in Tennessee

Tailgating is an extremely dangerous driving behavior because of how close the driver is to the car in front of them. This puts both drivers at a higher risk of being involved in a collision. Sadly, a high percentage of car crashes result in the death of an involved party. In some case, the surviving family can partner with a Tennessee tailgating accident lawyer to seek compensation for damages.