Tailgating is often used as an example of aggressive driving. And it certainly is true that many tailgaters are attempting to act aggressively. They may want to pass, or they may want the other driver to speed up. They may be experiencing road rage, feeling angry over something that happened on the road. Tailgating is often aggressive.

But is this always true? Or are there other reasons why people tailgate?

Some drivers are oblivious

The truth is that some drivers are just unaware of what a proper following distance is. They don’t know how much distance there should be between their car and the next one. They could be a very young driver, for example. They just don’t have the experience to understand stopping distances and reaction times. They don’t know that they’re tailgating, even though they certainly are.

Additionally, there are drivers who tailgate when they get distracted. A driver who is looking down at their phone and trying to type a text message isn’t paying careful attention to the traffic around them. They may suddenly look up and find that they’ve drifted very close to the rear bumper of the next car. They didn’t mean to drive aggressively, but they just weren’t paying attention to how they were driving at all, and so they made a critical mistake.

Financial compensation after accidents

Of course, tailgating is dangerous, no matter why it happens. If you’ve been rear-ended by a negligent driver, then it may be important to look into your options to seek financial compensation. This can help to cover lost wages, medical bills and many other costs that are related to the accident.