While driving to work or a friend’s house, you may encounter someone else on the road rapidly catching up to you and following you closely.
This intimidation tactic, known as tailgating, can eventually lead to a car crash. Learning about why this behavior is dangerous can help you if you find yourself struggling after an accident.
Disregard for safety
According to the United States Department of Transportation, many people who continually speed over the limit may have anger issues. This kind of road rage can influence what decisions they make on the road, including how roughly they turn and if they drift into someone’s lane.
You may struggle to predict this person’s erratic behavior, which can lead to you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.
Less time to react
When someone is driving behind you at an improper following distance, you have less time to react to obstacles. Even if you try to avoid a crash, the other car may hit the back of your car.
Speeding can become deadly in bad weather since snow and ice on the road can cause you to slide and skid. A speeding driver who is in a larger car or truck can also cause more damage to motorcycles and smaller cars.
Loss of control
Following a driver too closely can limit the number of actions a person can take to avoid an accident. If people try to swerve out of the way too suddenly, then they may lose their grip on the steering wheel and flip their vehicle over.
Speeding and tailgating may not always seem dangerous, but they can leave you with serious injuries.