57% of motorists have admitted to driving too close to the vehicle in front of them, according to new research from road safety charity Brake.æ 60% of drivers also confessed to breaking the speed limit by 10mph or more. The survey _ which was put together with insurance firm Direct Line _ also revealed that the majority of UK drivers are worried about tailgating on the motorways. In driving too close to the vehicle in front, drivers leave themselves far too little time to react in the event of an accident, according to the charity. Julie Townsend, the deputy chief executive for Brake, said: "Almost all drivers are concerned about the danger posed by other people tailgating on motorways and yet a shockingly high proportion admit driving too close and speeding themselves. 'There are no two ways about it: ignore the two-second rule or the speed limit on motorways and you're putting yourself and others at risk of a horrific crash. 'Traffic laws are not just for other people: all drivers can help make our motorways safer and prevent needless tragedies by committing to keep your distance and stay under speed limits, including temporary lower limits." The survey also revealed that within the past 12 months: 57% of drivers left less than a two second gap between themselves and the vehicle in front, with almost three in ten (28%) doing so monthly or more.æ 61% of men admitted doing so, compared to 53% of women. Six in ten (60%) admitted breaking the 70mph speed limit by 10mh or more. 28% admitted doing so at least once a month, with seven in 10 drivers doing so at 80mph or more.æ The latter figure included over half of the men responding to the research, and a little over two in ten women. Brake urged all drivers to keep a two-second gap between themselves and the vehicle in front, and to extend this to four seconds in cases of poor visibility or wet weather.æ They also urged drivers to stick to the posted speed limit at all times, including temporary or visible limits.æ These steps can help reduce the chances of a crash, and will also cut down on fuel consumption. Rob Miles, the director of motor trading at Direct Line, said: "Whilst the UK's motorways have proportionately less crashes than other roads, speed is still the biggest killer of road users. We believe it is better to save lives than to save a few minutes of journey time". Simon Sheldon-Wilson, the traffic management director at the Highways Agency, noted that safety was the organisation's top priority, and that it was committed to reducing the number of deaths that occur on Britain's roads each year.
