Tailgaters watch out: New Abu Dhabi radars will catch you

Abu Dhabi: Starting this Wednesday, radars in Abu Dhabi will be catching drivers for another traffic violation.

From January 15, motorists in Abu Dhabi will be subjected to a Dh400 fine and four black points if they are caught tailgating — a dangerous practice and an all-too common sight across UAE roads, seen behind numerous road mishaps.

Abu Dhabi Police will send out text messages to notify violating drivers and warn them about the fines in case of repeated tailgating instances.

What is tailgating?

According to the Ministry of Interior, tailgating is defined as “not keeping enough distance to the car in front of you”.

The main reasons for tailgating, according to recent surveys published in Gulf News, were slow drivers on the fast lane, running late, or being unaware of traffic rules.

Previously, the Director of Traffic and Patrol at Abu Dhabi Police announced that the reason for the new traffic campaign was to “protect drivers and other road users from serious traffic accidents that can result in human and material losses”.

Traffic experts suggest that the best practice when driving is to leave a safe distance of 56 metres between vehicles while moving at a speed of 100km/h.

In a statement, Abu Dhabi Police announced it will activate the tailgating smart detection system from January 15, 2020.

“The 2- second rule will be applied while driving on highways. During traffic congestion, smart detection system will not be activated,” it said.

What is the 2-second rule?

Always allow at least 2 seconds from the vehicle in front, and at least double this in bad conditions. Not doing so could have tragic consequences.

Motorists were  cautioned to drive safely and to leave the far left lane to vehicles travelling in a high speed in all situations. They were also advised not to drive too slower than the designated speed limit.

If you are being tailgated, the UK Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency recommends to: