Many motorists regularly engage in the practice of tailgating, which is the dangerous practice of driving too close to the car in front. Here are some of the reasons people engage in tailgating:

They Overestimate Their Driving Skills

On any typical day, there will always be motorists on the road who think they can drive better, they are safer, or they can drive faster than other drivers. These are motorists who overestimate their driving skills, and the overestimation may extend to tailgating. Even a driver who knows the danger of tailgating may find themselves in the dangerous practice if they believe that their superior driving skills will keep them out of trouble.

They Want To Intimidate the Other Driver

There are also cases where a driver decides to drive extremely close to the car in front with the intention of intimidating the other motorist. This can happen in the case of road rage, or someone may just decide to tailgate the car in front to get them out of the way, for example, by forcing them to switch lanes.

They Are In a Hurry

It is always said that if you want to reach your destination in time, you need to depart early. However, there are tailgating drivers who haven't internalized this advice, leave late, and try to hurry once on they are the road. Tailgating may not get you to your destination as fast as you think, but if you believe in it, you will be convinced that leaving a safe distance between you and your next car may help you reach your destination sooner.

They Don't Want Others to Cut Them Off

There are also road users who think that others will cut in front of them if they stay a reasonable distance behind other motorists. Maybe they don't just like others to cut them off, or they are in a hurry, but squeezing behind another car can help them avoid being cut off (at the risk of causing an accident).

They Are Trying To Save Gas

Lastly, there are also those who believe that tailgating can help them save gas. This is based on drafting, where a motorist aligns their car with another car so that they can reduce the effect of wind drag and reduce engine load.  

If you do get injured in an accident, don't admit liability whether you were the one tailgating or it was the other motorist. Handle it like any other accident and consult a personal injury lawyer for help. Contact a company like Monohan & Blankenship for more information and assistance.