Whether it’s done out of impatience, haste, or habit, tailgating is an extremely dangerous practice. Some think it isn’t a big deal because so many people do it. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it can cause a crash where the fault will almost certainly be the tailgater’s since rear-end accidents are almost always the fault of the car behind.
Such an accident can happen in less than a second because the following distance of tailgaters often leaves less than a second of reaction time. In a situation requiring a hard stop, one may not have enough time to even get his foot on the brake pedal, let alone enough time to stop the car. A life changing or life ending accident can happen in a split second.
In addition to putting one’s life and the life of the motorist in front at risk, other dangers include:
- Striking a pedestrian or bicyclist. If the right side of the tailgater’s car is offset to the right of the car in front, he could hit a pedestrian or bicyclist who is on the side of the road. Normally, these people are easily seen when a motorist allows plenty of following distance. However, the car or truck in front blocks the tailgater’s view of the right side of the road. This reduced visibility of what lies ahead can cause other types of accidents such as when the car in front rapidly swerves to avoid a stalled car or other obstacle.
- Triggering road rage. There are people on the road who have lost all patience with inconsiderate drivers. Other life factors can make them simply not care anymore about the consequences of their actions. The person may use a concealed weapon or use his car to act out on his wrath against the tailgater.
- Triggering a chain reaction accident. Tailgating distracts the driver in front. Constantly looking at the tailgater in their rear-view mirror takes their eyes off the road. If this person crashes into another car in front of her, the tailgater will be a part of that accident because he has left himself with absolutely no safety margin.
If you were injured by a tailgater in a car accident, the lawyers at Hogan Injury will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.