Drivers are told 'Don't be a Space Invader' in new tailgating campaign

October 2018

To combat this, Highways England has launched a new campaign that tells drivers, "Don’t be a Space Invader".

The Highway Code stipulates that drivers should allow at least a two-second gap between vehicles, which is doubled when it’s wet, but a survey of 1,109 motorists found that almost 9 out of 10 had been tailgated and statistics show that more than 100 people are killed or seriously injured each year in crashes caused by driving too close to other vehicles.

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said:

"Tailgating makes the driver in front feel targeted and victimised, distracting their attention from the road ahead and making them more likely to make a mistake."

As part of the campaign, they have released a video raising awareness of the risks or tailgating and encouraging drivers to 'stay safe, stay back' and not be a 'Space Invader' which you can find at: 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dont+be+a+space+invader

More information and a free sticker pack relating to the campaign can be found on the website:

https://highwaysengland.co.uk/staysafestayback/

Source: Allianz Insurance plc