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National Highways says ‘stay safe – stay back’
13 April 2022
National Highways has launched its latest ‘stay safe – stay back’ campaign which offers materials for fleets to encourage and educate their employees on safe driving practices.
In a recent survey by National Highways, 25 per cent of drivers admitted to tailgaiting others and almost 9 in 10 (87 per cent) reported having been tailgated.
According to National Highways’ campaign, tailgating contributes to 1 in 8 road traffic collisions on the strategic road network.
The Highway Code says that drivers should “allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster moving traffic”, allowing time to think and stop. In wet weather conditions, this stopping distance should be doubled.
Nigel Mansell, CBE, former British Formula One World Champion and honorary president of IAM RoadSmart, said: “There is absolutely no upside to tailgating – you will not get to your destination faster, you are not a skilled driver for doing it, and you are putting so many innocent people at risk. So, I very much back this campaign to highlight the dangers of tailgating.”
National Highways extends the following advice if you find yourself being tailgated:
Do:
- Just drive normally - The key is to not let the tailgater's poor behaviour negatively influence your own driving. Simply continue to drive safely and cautiously, aware but not affected by their presence.
- Allow them to overtake - Keep a steady speed so they may overtake. Alternatively, pull to the side of the road, or turn off at a petrol station, but only if it is safe to do so.
- Clearly signal - Ensure the tailgater has a clear idea of your intentions by signalling early and changing your speed well in advance of a turn off.
- Keep left - Keep in the left-hand lane unless overtaking. Some tailgaters argue that ‘middle-lane hoggers’ cause tailgating. Don’t give tailgaters an excuse.
Don’t:
- Speed up - Generally this will encourage the tailgater to speed up behind you. Continue to travel at a safe speed. Do not allow the pressure from the tailgater to influence you to drive unsafely.
- Slow down - Intentionally slowing down to irritate the close follower or tapping the brake lights can trigger road rage and cause more dangerous scenarios to arise.
- Stare in the rear-view mirror - It can be tempting to stare at the driver behind but this can cause you to lose focus on what’s in front of you.
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We at Marshall Leasing are always interested in the latest road safety news and we trust that you find the above information useful.
If you would like to find out more about how we can help you make the transition to an electric vehicle, please get in touch with us at info@marshall-leasing.co.uk or by calling 01480 414541. Alternatively, please complete our contact form.
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