Marlo Greer wants Colorado drivers to do better. As she points out in her video on this topic, Colorado drivers are ranked as some of the worst drivers in the United States. Given that this is based on self-reported driving behaviors, the ranking is probably fairly accurate.
So what’s the main problem with Colorado drivers?
Tailgating.
Why is it important not to tailgate? There are several reasons.
First, the obvious one: if you’re tailgating and traffic slows down suddenly, you won’t have time to stop. That means you’ll crash into the person in front of you.
Here’s another. Say someone slams into your car from behind, and you’re tailgating the person in front of you. That impact can shove you into the leading car, causing damage to their vehicle.
Keep in mind: if you tailgate and hit the vehicle ahead, you will likely be found liable. This applies even if you were pushed into the front car by someone hitting you from behind.
How Close Should I Follow?
The old formula said to give yourself one car length for every 10 mph of speed. At 60 mph, that meant staying at least six car lengths behind the vehicle ahead. Current thinking is that you should have about 4 seconds. Pick a landmark. Count how many seconds pass between the front car passing it and you passing it.
Make sure you count your seconds properly; “one-one thousand, two-one thousand” is a good way to make sure you’re doing so.
In bad weather – it’s Colorado, remember, we have plenty of that – increase the distance. You’ll need more time to react if the road is slippery or visibility is poor.
Greer Law Can Help if You’re in a Crash
At Greer Law, we represent clients who were injured or suffered damages in car crashes. We understand how the laws in Colorado work in these cases, and we know what it takes to assert a strong and effective claim.
If you were injured by a tailgater or believe you deserve compensation, contact us today. Let us schedule a free case evaluation. You can reach Greer Law at 303-331-6460 or online.
And in the meantime, Marlo has one thing to say to you when you’re out on the road: “Stay off my ass!”
