Q: It seems like tailgating is becoming more of a problem. Do the police ever enforce it?
A: Allow me to validate your perception. Last year in northwest Washington (Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties), following too closely was a factor in 880 crashes. We had a total of 6492 reported collisions in the region, putting tailgating (the most common slang term for following too closely) as a contributing action in nearly one in every seven crashes. I’d agree with you that it’s a problem.
Is it becoming more of a problem? Towards the end of 2013 the Washington State Patrol launched their online Collision Analysis Tool, which allows anyone to search through crash records in our state. By searching year by year for following too closely crashes in Washington we get the following results:
| Year | Following too closely crashes |
| 2013 | 12736 (estimated) |
| 2014 | 14270 |
| 2015 | 15960 |
| 2016 | 17111 |
As the numbers show, each year we’ve seen an increase in crashes caused by tailgating. Not only is following too closely a problem, it’s a problem that’s getting worse.
So far I’ve just applied some data to confirm a problem most everybody already knows exists. What we really need to know is, “What is being done about it?”
First we should evaluate our own driving behavior. Here’s why: Many tailgaters are not aggressive drivers, they’re unaware drivers. When we drive the same routes day after day they become a subconscious routine and we get lulled into a false sense of safety. It’s easy to pay less attention to following distances and become an accidental (pun intended) tailgater. So review your driving habits and make sure you’re not part of the problem. There are a lot of people asking for more enforcement of drivers who follow too closely. Think of the irony if some of those same people were the ones who got tickets from increased enforcement.
What does tailgating enforcement look like? One method of enforcing tailgating involves a stopwatch and a fixed object. Here’s a step-by-step description of how it’s done:
Step 1. Park in a position that affords a clear view of the roadway.
Step 2. Choose a fixed object, like a signpost or telephone pole, as a measuring point.
Step 3. Watch for cars that are tailgating.
Step 4. When the first car passes the measuring point, begin timing with a stopwatch.
Step 5. When the second car passes the measuring point, stop timing.
By measuring the time between vehicles, the officer can determine if the second car is following too closely to the first one. Remember back in driver’s ed when the instructor told us about the two second rule? That’s what the officer is measuring. Also, the two second rule is a bare minimum. The Washington Driver’s Guide suggests that two to three seconds may be enough at speeds less than 30 MPH, but recommends four seconds.
A lot has to happen to be able to stop in that two to four second window. Car magazines often address stopping distance in reviews. That’s the distance it takes from the time the brakes are applied until the car comes to a complete stop. In the real world those numbers can easily be doubled. Ordinary driving situations involve human perception, human reaction and vehicle stopping capability.
Human perception is the time it takes to recognize a hazard and convince your brain to do something about it. Perception time is around one quarter to one half of a second, if you’re paying attention. Impairment, lack of sleep and distraction can extend perception time. Side note: Texting drivers typically take their eyes off the road for 3 to 5 seconds at a time. For those drivers, the officer will probably be issuing a following too closely infraction at the scene of a crash.
Human reaction time is from the moment your brain tells your foot to step on the brake until your foot follows through and starts applying pressure. This takes between a quarter and three-quarters of a second.
Vehicle stopping capability depends on the type of brakes in the car and how well they work, the condition of the tires, the weight of the vehicle, the road surface, and many other factors. Even in ideal conditions this varies between vehicles. Some modern sports cars can come to a stop from 60 MPH in under 100 feet, while a new full-size pickup may take over 150 feet to stop from the same speed.
Without getting into the physics too much, speed and stopping distance are not linear. Doubling the initial speed before braking will result in a three to fourfold increase in stopping distance.
Enforcement alert! Now would be a good time to practice safer following distances. This week, Law enforcement agencies in Northwest Washington are focusing on drivers who follow too closely, tailgate, ride your bumper, crawl up your backside or whatever term you use when the car behind you is so close you can’t see its headlights.
Doug. I noticed in the ride with the following distance policeman. You two were having an intense technical discussion. Isn’t wasn’t that officers driving concentration distracted, and wasn’t he going well over the speed limit which is the second most deadly habit in driving, or can some of us handle these dangers?
For others who might read this thread, Merrill is referring to this video in this article about following too close:
https://www.thewisedrive.com/tailgating-how-close-is-too-close/
You’ll notice that our technical discussions ended when the deputy put the car in gear to make the traffic stops. However, you bring up a good point about distraction and passengers. Conversations with passengers aren’t a distraction the way that a conversation on a phone is. (Except with young drivers). That’s a topic that’s worthy of an article in itself.
Regarding the deputy speeding to catch up to the violator, I don’t know what you’d propose as an alternative. It’s an inherent and recognized risk of the job, and law enforcement agencies put a lot of effort into training officers to be as safe as possible when operating their vehicles.
When being followed too closely, you can make a huge difference in traffic safety: increase the space between yourself and the vehicle ahead. Little or nothing can be done to discourage the tailgater behind you; it’s a bit like teaching a pig to sing. It only annoys the pig. But slowing (slightly) to increase your “safe zone” ahead, and adjusting speed to maintain that increased safe zone, provides more time to react to traffic hazards. By giving yourself more time to react to conditions ahead, you also give the tailgater more time to react to your actions.
“But,” you say, “traffic will crowd in ahead of you as you leave more space ahead.” Fine. Let them. As conditions warrant, just drift back to maintain your safe zone. In effect, you’re driving safely for yourself and for the vehicle on your tail. If you find yourself surrounded in a tight pack, signal and move into a higher speed lane, pass the pack to a clear zone ahead, and ease back into your preferred lane of travel. Re-establish that “safety zone” of a safe following distance ahead of yourself.
As a Class A CDL driver for a number of years, and hundreds of thousands of safely-driven miles, this is the ONLY driving technique I found that solved the problem.