Definition - What does tailgating mean?
Tailgating refers to the act of following a vehicle from behind, narrowing the space and closing the otherwise safe following distance between the front and rear bumpers of two motorists on a public highway or roadway. Several reasons may contribute to tailgating scenarios including aggressive driving, negligence, and time constraints between destinations, exacerbating the incidence rate for vehicular accidents on the road.
SureHire explains tailgating
While tailgating is a prevalent issue, it is avoidable by employing simple methods to help diminish the risk factors involved when encountering tailgaters or inadvertently driving too close to the vehicle ahead. The two-second rule is a driving tactic that allows motorists to target a fixed object (i.e. a landmark) as a reference point by calculating a two-second window to maintain a safe travel distance between two vehicles. For individuals who sustain an injury from a tailgating accident, the victim should consult legal counsel to help determine restitution for compensatory damages, medical cost expenditures, and pain and suffering entitlements per statutory rights by the state.
Employers carry the responsibility of promoting health and safety policies, but commuting and traveling between different job sites is a catalyst for often unpredictable situations where dense traffic and time pressures often lead to tailgating. Consequently, planning trips in advance gives employees ample time to travel between destinations, factoring in all contingencies where traffic delays can lead to tailgating, such as road construction and weather conditions. Although employers utilize a road safety plan as a preliminary guideline for covering driving skills and protocol, a motorist must use discretion on the road, conforming to speed laws and avoid tailgating or tailgaters to sidestep liability risks.
