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drive smart: Up Close and Irresponsible Drivers need to slam the door on tailgating H ey, we���ve all tailgated, usually when we���re rushed, seething with tetchiness behind a driver who we think is daydreaming. But consider the facts. Tailgating may seem harmless (when we���re doing it, anyway), but studies by ICBC and road-safety groups across Canada show it���s one of the top five high-risk driving behaviours. Though cause-of-crash statistics vary from study to study, key points remain constant: rear-end collisions account for 30 to 40 per cent of all vehicle crashes nationally, and the most frequent cause of rear-end collisions is tailgating. As well, B.C. drivers lead the country in following too closely. A 2012 Angus Reid poll shows 83 per cent of B.C. drivers recently experienced a bumper-hugging incident ��� the highest score reported by any province. Prairie drivers, in comparison, were most likely to ���mind the gap��� and maintain a safe distance. And in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, just 71 per cent of drivers reported tailgating problems, the lowest percentage in Canada. istock p31_DrivSmrt.indd 31 gating represents that ���final step��� before drivers move from hostile thoughts to aggressive action. So what can Lotus Land���s drivers do to curb their tailgating habits? Read ���Near Missives,��� below: It���s all in the science. ���Lisa Ricciotti Near Missives Of course, B.C. urbanites might be tempted to defend their tailgating habits by noting that Winnipeggers aren���t contending with the same exasperating traffic volumes that Vancouver drivers experience. (The number of vehicles on the metro region���s roads jumps by about 28,000 annually.) But that logic fades in light of the fact that Ontario rates second lowest on the Angus Reid poll, at 74 per cent ��� only slightly above the polite Prairies. And commuting in the Greater Toronto Area is no walk in the park. So what���s really driving tailgating? It���s just basic psychology, says ���Dr. Driving��� Leon James, head of the University of Hawaii���s driving psychology program. ���Tailgating is bullying ��� an aggressive driving behaviour that incites road rage.��� In fact, notes the psychology professor, tail- of us consistently underestimate the size of buffer zone needed for no-crash braking. Safety experts recommend drivers re-educate themselves about the correct range of following distances by visually memorizing what the two-second following distance looks like at different speeds. In poor weather and challenging road conditions, at high speeds or when driving a large, heavily loaded vehicle, double your following distance to four seconds as a minimum. ��� How to stop others from tailgating you ���I Brake for Tailgaters��� is a funny bumper sticker but not a savvy solution. Instead, pull to the far right of your lane to let the tailgater know you���ve noticed them, before gradually decreasing speed. (The goal is to get tailgaters off your bumper by giving them every opportunity to pass.) Then, keeping calm, resume a reasonable speed . . . and carry on. (Failing all else, you can always move to Manitoba, where drivers still understand the concept of personal space.) ��� ���L.R Space exploration There���s no arguing with physics: time and distance inform driver reaction times and how fast a vehicle can stop. Follow too closely and a crash will result ��� with the tailgater at fault under the law. The latest research, however, indicates that applying the two-second following rule reverses the odds of a crash. (For an explanation of the rule, see bcaa.com/secondrule) Braking the cycle Two action plans are called for: how to stop tailgating and how to stop others from tailgating you. Both are equally difficult to implement and require some serious mental shifts. But according to the stats, lower blood pressure and insurance rates and longer life expectancy, plus improved self-esteem, are the rewards. ��� How to stop tailgating Research shows most drivers are acutely aware of being tailgated but don���t perceive a problem when they���re the space invader. In fact, when following another car, most Westworld >> S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 31 13-01-28 10:36 AM

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