Queensland is rolling out new ‘tailgating awareness monitors’ aimed at discouraging drivers from engaging in the unsafe act.
But while these will use cameras to help identify and discourage tailgating drivers, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) says they won’t be used to enforce tailgating offences, so anybody identified by the monitors won’t be penalised.
Of course, should a police officer spot you tailgating another vehicle, you can be fined $376 and one demerit point. Notably, however, what constitutes a “safe following distance” is isn’t expressly prescribed in legislation.
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The new tailgating awareness monitors function like existing Speed Awareness Monitors – signs with digital readouts of vehicles’ speed, which read ‘Slow for SAM’ – with electronic message boards installed close to the detection sites.
You’ll get a green ‘Safe Gap’ message if you’re travelling more than two seconds behind the vehicle ahead, and a red ‘Too Close’ message if you’re travelling less than two seconds behind.
The monitors will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week during an unspecified trial period.
They’ll be installed at up to four locations in urban and regional areas, but the Queensland Government has not publicised their locations.
TMR says images captured by the system “will only be viewed by authorised personnel in the conduct of their official duties”.
The Queensland Governments says drivers must keep a “sufficient distance” behind a vehicle travelling in front of them so they can safety stop to avoid a potential crash. This distance varies depending on your speed and the driving conditions.
The latest Annual Road Safety Survey by the Royal Automotive Club of Queensland (RACQ) found more than 20 per cent of drivers admitted to tailgating or verbally abusing other drivers, with the motoring club observing an increase in aggressive behaviour among drivers.
