Driving too Close

Travelling too close to the vehicle in front is the number one driver error on the UK's motorways according to several studies, but drivers don't appear to be taking any notice of the evidence and changing their bad habits. A survey of 22,000 vehicles by leading motoring bodies at the start of National Motorway Month has concluded that 26% of drivers are too close to the vehicle in front. The worst offenders were on the M4 in Wales with 50% driving too close, and drivers on the M42 were almost as bad with 39% too close. The 'two second rule' is a simple means of establishing the safe distance drivers should keep in front of them, so why don't drivers use it?  Possibly because it is poorley communicated, possibly because others have chosen to promote the two chevron gap - which can only work wher the chevrons are painted on the road; whereas the two second rule works on any road. Something positive needs doing to knock 'Following too Close' off the number one spot as the cause of accidents on our motorways.  It's such a simple thing to correct, yet drivers seem fixated on staying too close to stop others jumping into the space they would otherwise leave.  Advanced Driver Services advocate the use of the 'two second rule', and include it in all fleet and advanced courses. Back