Nearly a third of drivers on Belgian roads keep less than one second in distance between themselves and the vehicle in front of them on the motorway – qualifying as tailgating – according to a study by traffic institute Vias.
The majority of motorists drive too close behind the vehicle in front of them on motorways, meaning they would not be able to stop safely if that vehicle suddenly brakes. The finding follows the observation of almost four million passenger cars and 400,000 buses and trucks.
Of the passenger cars, 58% drive within less than two seconds of the rear bumper of the vehicle in front, and 27% keep a distance of less than one second (which is when it is considered tailgating). In fact, one in three drivers regularly tailgate in the middle and left lanes.
Additionally, Vias found that tailgating is more common on weekdays than on weekends and also more common when it is light than when it is dark.
Nearly 1,000 accidents
The situation is slightly better for heavy vehicles: seven in ten truck and bus drivers follow the traffic regulations and keep a distance of at least 50 metres from each other. During the weekend, this figure even rises to eight in ten.
But keeping sufficient distance is extremely important, said Vias spokesperson Stef Willems. "A third of accidents on the motorway are rear-end collisions, usually because a safe distance has not been maintained: one in five accidents is a pile-up involving at least three vehicles."
According to Vias, 70% of rear-end collisions are due to driving too close to the vehicle in front, often in combination with other factors such as fatigue, mobile phone use or excessive speed. Every year, nearly 1,000 accidents occur on Belgian motorways due to failure to respect safety distances. These accidents also cause traffic jams and therefore have an impact on mobility.
Over the course of 2024, a pilot project will start on certain motorways with the aim of checking whether it is possible to use cameras or radar to check whether sufficient distance is being maintained.
What does the law say?
Currently, the traffic regulations only state that drivers must keep a "sufficient safety distance" from the vehicle in front. The exact amount is not stated.
This will change in the autumn of 2025: the new motorway code will state that the safety distance between two vehicles must be at least two seconds in zones where the speed exceeds 50km/h.
Trucks and buses already have to keep a distance of at least 50 metres outside built-up areas.
