National Highways launch ‘Too Close for Comfort’ tailgating campaign

Tailgating – driving too closely behind another vehicle – creates tension and anxiety for drivers across the UK, and National Highways has launched a campaign to tackle the issue.

Whether intentional or not, tailgating remains a serious safety issue for drivers and other road users.

Government statistics show that it leads to an average of 147 deaths or serious injuries every year on motorways and major A-roads (Source: DVLA, 2024).

Despite this, 43% of drivers admit to tailgating ‘at least sometimes’, while 60% say being tailgated makes them feel uncomfortable.

According to National Highways, this highlights how one person’s driving behaviour, even if unintentional, can cause real stress for others – and so a new campaign needed to be created to tackle the problem.

• Tailgating – is it illegal?
• Dangerous driving – what is it? And how can I report it?
• What s road rage? And how can I avoid it?

Titled ‘Make the Change: Two Seconds is all it takes’, the agency stated that this simple message highlights that all drivers need to do is maintain this suitable following distance.

The campaign read: “Small changes in driving behaviour can have a big impact on overall road safety and everyone’s wellbeing on the road.”

There are four pillars to this campaign:

• Keeping a safe following distance of at least two seconds is a simple yet vital habit. It significantly improves road safety while promoting a calmer, more respectful driving atmosphere for everyone.
• Following another vehicle too closely can make the driver ahead feel stressed and pressured. It’s much like someone standing too near to you in a queue – uncomfortable and intrusive. Respecting space matters just as much on the road as it does in everyday life.
• To apply the two-second rule, pick a fixed point up ahead, such as a road sign or lamppost. As the car in front passes it, start counting: ‘one thousand one, one thousand two’. If you reach that point before finishing the count, you're too close and need to ease off the accelerator to allow more space.
• In poor weather conditions, it’s essential to leave even more room. Double the gap in wet conditions and increase it further in icy weather to ensure you have enough time to stop safely.