Sticking to the speed limit on today's roads can lead to being bullied by aggressive motorists who are determined to tailgate new and vulnerable drivers.
According to a study by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), the country's roads have witnessed a four-fold increase in drivers who are trying to follow the rules of the road but end up being tailgated.
Of the drivers the TRL kept under observation, 93% were tailgated by other motorists when driving to Highway Code regulations, while just 47% were tailgated when driving in their usual manner.
Newly-qualified drivers and parents with small children were the most likely to be subjected to bullying behaviour on the road.
Tailgating was found to increase the subjects' heart rates and use of rear-view mirrors which in turn led to a heightened risk of accidents.
A spokesperson for RBS, the commissioners of the research, said: "Drivers need to understand that the increased stress caused as a result of tailgating can lead to volatile situations on the road and that tailgating is responsible for approximately 7% of road traffic accidents in the UK.
"By driving less erratically, with fewer gear changes, rapid accelerations and decelerations, the average journey time is 8% faster overall. So, improving driving habits could actually save time and money as well as lives."
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