This common driving habit is MORE dangerous than using your phone - are you guilty?
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You’ve probably been there before – you’re driving down the road and someone’s going a bit slow. Your patience wears thin and suddenly you’re tailgating them as you try to urge them to move out of the way.
It’s an incredibly frustrating experience.
But here’s the bad news – tailgating is far more dangerous than you may think. In fact, it’s even riskier than texting or making a call on the road.
Senior Research Fellow at Monash University’s Accident Research Centre, Amanda Stephens, has uncovered the reason why people tailgate in a new study.
She identified that tailgating is often a reaction to feeling rushed as if our time is suddenly more precious than usual.
'When drivers are in a rush, they feel their time becomes more precious because there is less of it to spare. Therefore, if something or someone infringes on that time, drivers can become increasingly frustrated and aggressive,' she said.
And there’s more – a study of real-world driving concluded that tailgating had a 13 to 14-fold increase in the odds of being involved in a crash, compared to driving more responsibly.
She also pointed out that people who are irritated at someone standing in the way of what they are attempting to accomplish—in this example, the destination—often engage in tailgating.
'Often when you respond to a problem you evaluate what has occurred but when you are in a heightened state of driving, you are less likely to do this,' says Stephens.
So how can you prevent yourself from tailgating?
Stephens suggested that the best way to stay safe on the roads is to recognise the situations that may lead to aggressive behaviour.
She developed a strategy with almost 100 self-identified aggressive drivers; focusing on planning, taking a break, deep breathing and rethinking the situation.
Her well-known ‘5x5x5 strategy’ is used by drivers to question themselves over whether the cause of their anger will matter in five minutes, five hours or five days.
If the answer is ‘no’, then it’s best to let it go.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Stephens reminded drivers of the fines and consequences that come with aggressive driving.
Remember, aggressive tailgating is often seen as a way of getting back at a slow driver but can lead to hefty fines. For example, in NSW, if you are cited for tailgating, you will receive a $448 fine, as well as 3 demerit points.
So, members - the next time you’re behind the wheel, it may be worth taking a minute to think about the risks you’re putting yourself and others at if you decide to tailgate the car in front.
Have you ever tailgated before? What would it take for you to stop? Tell us in the comments below!
It’s an incredibly frustrating experience.
But here’s the bad news – tailgating is far more dangerous than you may think. In fact, it’s even riskier than texting or making a call on the road.
Senior Research Fellow at Monash University’s Accident Research Centre, Amanda Stephens, has uncovered the reason why people tailgate in a new study.
She identified that tailgating is often a reaction to feeling rushed as if our time is suddenly more precious than usual.
'When drivers are in a rush, they feel their time becomes more precious because there is less of it to spare. Therefore, if something or someone infringes on that time, drivers can become increasingly frustrated and aggressive,' she said.
According to a new study, speeding and tailgating are the two most harmful driving behaviours. Credit: Pexels/Kampus Production.
And there’s more – a study of real-world driving concluded that tailgating had a 13 to 14-fold increase in the odds of being involved in a crash, compared to driving more responsibly.
She also pointed out that people who are irritated at someone standing in the way of what they are attempting to accomplish—in this example, the destination—often engage in tailgating.
'Often when you respond to a problem you evaluate what has occurred but when you are in a heightened state of driving, you are less likely to do this,' says Stephens.
So how can you prevent yourself from tailgating?
Stephens suggested that the best way to stay safe on the roads is to recognise the situations that may lead to aggressive behaviour.
She developed a strategy with almost 100 self-identified aggressive drivers; focusing on planning, taking a break, deep breathing and rethinking the situation.
The likelihood of getting in a collision increased by 13 to 14 times for drivers who tailgate. Credit: Pexels/Tim Samuel.
Her well-known ‘5x5x5 strategy’ is used by drivers to question themselves over whether the cause of their anger will matter in five minutes, five hours or five days.
If the answer is ‘no’, then it’s best to let it go.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Stephens reminded drivers of the fines and consequences that come with aggressive driving.
Remember, aggressive tailgating is often seen as a way of getting back at a slow driver but can lead to hefty fines. For example, in NSW, if you are cited for tailgating, you will receive a $448 fine, as well as 3 demerit points.
So, members - the next time you’re behind the wheel, it may be worth taking a minute to think about the risks you’re putting yourself and others at if you decide to tailgate the car in front.
Have you ever tailgated before? What would it take for you to stop? Tell us in the comments below!
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