ALMOST 50 people were penalised by Wiltshire Police last year for bad driving habits, with the main culprits being tailgaters.

A recent study revealed that a third of Brits do not realise that tailgating is a fineable offence in the UK.

Motorists run the risk of landing a £100 bill and three penalty points on their licence if they are caught driving too close to the car in front.

In response, Wiltshire Police, who last year nabbed 49 drivers for the offence, urged motorists to back off.

A police spokesman said: “As per the Highway Code, Wiltshire Police urges drivers to drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can see to be clear.

“You should leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you can pull up safely if it suddenly slows down or stops. The safe rule is never to get closer than the overall stopping distance.

“Allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster-moving traffic and in tunnels where visibility is reduced. The gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads.

“Remember, large vehicles and motorcycles need a greater distance to stop. If driving a large vehicle in a tunnel, you should allow a four-second gap between you and the vehicle in front.

“If you are unfortunately involved in a collision, where someone goes in to the back of another, usually, it is the person behind that is at fault.”

Research from Confused.com, published earlier this year, revealed that almost half of British drivers are guilty of tailgating, with 49 per cent admitting that they have tried to get the car in front to speed up because they were driving too slowly.

Brett Dixon, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, a not-for-profit organisation which is today holding an Injury Prevention Day, said: “The figures highlight the need for drivers to keep bad habits in check.”

“Driving too close, or ‘tailgating’, is a bad habit of which many drivers are guilty. It is incredibly dangerous, as well as anti-social, and can be really intimidating for other drivers.”

“In the UK we have 50 per cent more traffic per kilometre than the European average. Coupled with bad driving habits, this could cause needless collisions, injuries which should have been avoided and claims on your insurance.

“Some injuries could easily be avoided if drivers backed off and left a bit more room.”

It is thought that one of the reasons that drivers are tailgating is, simply, due to a lack of awareness.

Prosecutions for tailgating were introduced by the Government in 2013 as part of a raft of new measures to tackle careless driving.

After the research from Confused.com was published in March, Amanda Stretton, the company’s motoring editor, said: “It’s shocking to see just how many motorists are dangerously tailgating at high speeds.

“Clearly, many are unaware this type of driving malpractice is illegal and that it can, in some circumstances, lead to devastating accidents.

“We urge new drivers to have a few lessons on the motorway before embarking on journeys alone so they can fully understand the importance of stopping distances.

“Not only could you find yourself hit with an £100 fine, you could put your own life and others’ at risk.”