LONDON, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- New figures show that one-in-eight of road casualties in Britain are caused by people driving too close to a vehicle in front, killing or seriously injuring more than 100 people a year, new figures from Highways England revealed Monday.
The government-run road agency has launched a safety campaign using well-known Space Invader video game character to alert drivers to the anti-social nature and risks of what is known as tailgating.
Campaign organisers said while a small minority of tailgating is deliberate, most is unintentional by drivers unaware they are dangerously invading someone else's road space.
A survey by Highways England has revealed that tailgating is the biggest single bugbear drivers have about other road users.
In-car research, using dashcams, facial recognition, emotion tracking and heart monitors, has revealed that a driver's typical reaction to a being tailgated is surprise, anger and contempt, with a spike in heart rate.
Nearly 9 out of 10 people say they have either been tailgated or seen it, with more than a quarter of drivers admitted to tailgating, said Highways England.
Former Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell, one of the world's best drivers, is backing the "Don't be a Space Invader - stay safe, stay back "campaign.
Mansell, who is president of the Institute of Advanced Motorists RoadSmart, said: "Tailgating is a driving habit I utterly deplore. Not only is it aggressive and intimidating, but it can lead to a crash with a tragic outcome. It puts so many innocent people at risk."
Richard Leonard, road safety head at Highways England, said: "Tailgating makes the driver in front feel targeted and victimised, distracting their attention from the road ahead and making them more likely to make a mistake. It is intimidating and frightening if you're on the receiving end. If that leads to a collision, then people in both vehicles could end up seriously injured or killed."
Vehicle safety experts Thatcham Research described tailgating as one of the most dangerous driver behaviors seen on British roads.
A video using the Space Invader character has been produced by Highways England to highlight the problem.
