how can we educate drivers on the hazards of tailgating the car in front of them?

Question

don't they know that if the driver in front of them has to hit the brakes quickly they are most like going to slam into the car in front of them? would it help to stop drivers from tailgating if there was a stop tailgating campign like the seat belts and DUI campaign's and we educated them to the hazards?

Answer 1

I educate people all the time with my emergency brake. It's a very simple formula. No brake lights plus a gap between cars that suddenly vanishes equals a heart-stopping panic lesson that will not be soon forgotten. You would be surprised how quickly they learn to stay at least a hundred yards off my azz. Some people require two lessons. I hold a class every morning on my way to work. That way, my students can meditate on my lesson all day. I have a silver-gray 1998 Dodge Neon. I travel the 5 freeway south through Orange County, California at 6 AM daily. If you would like to enroll in my class, line up no more than one car length behind me. I guarantee results, and I don't charge anything. I know that I have done my job when someone flips me off from the relative safety of 300 feet away. One hard and fast classroom rule, though. If you hit me, I will own you and everything that is yours for the rest of my life. In college, they would call that an F. Deep inside every Type-A personality who loves to try intimidation behind the wheel is a chicken-shiit weenie who will cry like a stuck baby pig if they ever hit the person in front of them. That's where I come in. I want every one of these people to get into intimate touch with their inner chicken-shiit weenie.

Answer 2

I agree with you - an education & enforcement campaign is a good idea. Unfortuntely, after the campaign ends, people resort to their old habits.

I think there are at least 3 reasons why people tailgate - to intimidate slower drivers ahead of them to get them to pull to the right or to speed up; to keep a small space between them and the car ahead so that other drivers won't try to zoom in and take that space; and because people just don't pay attention to how closely they are following.

A steeper fine might get some people to change, but there will never be enough cops. Maybe with adaptive cruise control (radar measures how fast and close the car ahead of you is driving), the system could also issue an alarm when you are tailgating.

Answer 3

this question jogged my memory of why I drove an previous automobile that became paid for while utilising to the sub base in San Diego. I never tailgated some one that violated the nicely suited of way rules, I basically have been given my front fender and door previous to them and compelled then to yield. After utilising that direction for a week, no person presumed to take the nicely suited of way. That became then, that's now! I even have made some errors of my own that required speedy thinking on the area of yet another motive force. So from now on I even tend to enable it bypass. i found out that i became venting my anger approximately different issues at those drivers. once I confronted the authentic concern, anger and adeline rushes are actually not to any extent further needed.

Answer 4

The education comes in two forms. The first is of course to educate a person learning to drive to respect reality which includes the consequences of failing to respect reality. The second is after the fact and the reality of hard corps consequences of tailgating. I am a truck driver and two things I teach new drivers is to respect the reality of 40 tons in movement and to always keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

Answer 5

My method (when I drive) involved tapping the break pedal. Enough to trigger the light, but not enough to let the brake pads actually touch the rotor (ie: slow you down).

However, I do agree that there needs to be more enforcement and education on the point that your reflexes are not as fast as you think!

Funny thing, the cops here did a blitz early in the year about turn signal use.

Answer 6

I always found an old Land Rover with a substantial tow hitch and gentle application of the handbrake (no brake lights) did the trick.

Answer 7

Maybe but most people are in such a big fat hurry and think it wont happen to them. i live in Phoenix and its a mess here during traffic hours. i ride a motorcycle and they still tailgate me. go figure. i used to carry big ball bearings in my pocket unfortunatly they have all been thrown. hehehehehehehehe Mike

Answer 8

Police need to ticket more and make the fine atleast $350

Answer 9

Yeah I think that is a problem that does need to be addressed.
And if a cop wants to ticket a person for that, they can.
It is unsafe driving.

Answer 10

You can't teach common sense.