Regions ranked for road etiquette as drivers admit tailgating
Tailgating article by Rachel Pearson, Key Account Manager and Advanced FORS Practitioner at Fleetmaxx Solutions in Whitstable
As Key Account Manager and Advanced FORS Practitioner here at Fleetmaxx Solutions in Whitstable, road safety is not just a headline to me. It is something I talk about with fleet operators every single day.
New research from National Highways has revealed something many of us will have seen first hand. Tailgating is widespread, and overall road etiquette is slipping.
Following too closely contributes to around 8 percent of people killed or seriously injured each year on England’s motorways and major A roads. That is an average of 147 people annually, based on Department for Transport data between 2016 and 2023, excluding the pandemic years.
The Highway Code is very clear. Leave at least a two second gap on faster roads. Double that in wet weather or poor visibility. Simple. Sensible. Life saving.
Yet one in three drivers admit to tailgating.
Tailgating the regional picture
National Highways analysed attitudes and behaviours to create a new tailgating and “manners map”.
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South west
46 percent rate their etiquette as good
31 percent admit to tailgating
85 KSI incidents -
North west
45 percent rate their etiquette as good
34 percent admit to tailgating
60 KSI incidents -
Yorkshire and north east
39 percent rate their etiquette as good
36 percent admit to tailgating
71 KSI incidents
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Midlands
37 percent rate their etiquette as good
36 percent admit to tailgating
106 KSI incidents -
East of England
46 percent rate their etiquette as good
35 percent admit to tailgating
124 KSI incidents -
London and south east
40 percent rate their etiquette as good
41 percent admit to tailgating
222 KSI incidents
Caught on camera, HGV tailgating on the M42 in Warwickshire
London and the south east recorded the lowest overall scores, with the highest proportion admitting to tailgating.
Tailgating is not just inconsiderate. It is illegal. Drivers can face a £100 fixed penalty notice and three points on their licence.
Tailgating: Why do drivers do it
Behavioural psychologist Dr Neale Kinnear explains that most of us see ourselves as considerate people. However, driving is goal focused and often time pressured. When frustration builds, closing the gap can feel like progress.
The reality is different. Drivers overestimate the time saved. Meanwhile, risk rises sharply.
From a fleet perspective, that risk is not theoretical. It affects compliance, insurance, vehicle wear, fuel costs and, most importantly, lives.
How Fleetmaxx helps fleets tackle driver behaviour
At Fleetmaxx Solutions, we take this seriously. That is exactly why we provide our Fleetloc8 tracking software.
With Fleetloc8, you are not just tracking vehicles. You are tracking behaviour.
GPS data gives coaching purpose
Fleetloc8 provides insight into:
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Harsh braking and acceleration
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Speeding incidents
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Idle time and stop start patterns
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Routes taken and delivery timings
This means you can identify patterns and coach with clarity. You are not guessing. You are guiding.
Make it fair, not finger pointing
When coaching is backed by data, conversations change. It feels less like blame and more like support. You can show trends over time, celebrate improvement, and link safer driving to lower fuel use and reduced vehicle wear.
Even small behavioural improvements can translate into measurable savings across a fleet.
Supporting safer fleets through toolbox talks
In addition, our transport consultants can support you with structured driver toolbox talks. These are short, focused safety sessions covering topics such as:
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Defensive driving
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Fatigue management
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Daily walk round checks
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Safe following distances
All of our consultants are fully qualified Transport Managers with many years of industry experience. They hold current HGV licences, which means they understand the realities your drivers face and can communicate in a practical, relatable way.
From compliance to culture
For me, as an Advanced FORS Practitioner, this is about more than ticking boxes. It is about creating a culture where safe driving is the norm, not the exception.
Leaving a safe gap and not tailgating costs nothing. However, the impact of not doing so can be devastating.
If you would like to explore how Fleetloc8 tracking and our transport consultancy support can help improve driver behaviour, strengthen compliance and reduce fleet costs, please get in touch with our Whitstable team.
Let us keep your vehicles on the road, for less, and make them safer while we are at it.
