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Gulf News spotted several instances of tailgating on the fast lane of Shaikh Zayed Road. Image Credit: Zarina Fernandes/ Gulf News Archives

Dubai: Tailgating in the UAE is not a rare sight as any given highway will have its fair share of aggressive motorists who bully others on the road.

Police are warning motorists to keep a safe distance between vehicles, as tailgating is one of the main reasons for traffic accidents in the country.

As part of its online campaign called 'You Comment', Abu Dhabi Police asked residents to share their suggestions and solutions to curb the number of tailgating incidents across UAE roads.

@ad_jokar said: “Traffic fines should be increased for people tailgating others, and doubled if the offence is repeated. We need to heavily penalise reckless motorists and have radars to monitor their behaviour”.

According to the UAE Traffic Law, tailgating will incur a Dh400 fine and four black points. Traffic experts also suggested leaving a safe distance of 56 metres between vehicles at 100km/h.

Lt Col Dr Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director at the Traffic and Patrols Department, urged motorists to leave sufficient distance between vehicles “in order to provide ample time for drivers to stop in a safe manner in the event of any sudden incident”.

Latest research published by the Road Safety Monitor, commissioned by i-Insured in partnership with Road Safety UAE, revealed that 40 per cent of the motorists surveyed felt that UAE roads have become more dangerous, while around 60 per cent said that they see in an increase in swerving between lanes, one of the major causes of accidents.

@modelti said: “Tailgating is very annoying. Please keep [a] safe distance while driving [and] also those who drive slow, please use mid or last track.”