Why tailgating won’t get you through traffic lights any faster

TAILGATING at traffic lights does not increase a driver’s chances of beating a red light, a study has found.

In fact, those who stopped too close to their fellow motorists at junctions stood less of a chance of getting through on a green light, according to researchers at Virginia Tech University.

They found drivers who want the best chance of getting across before the lights turn red again should leave a gap of 25ft (8m) between their own vehicle and the one in front.

The advice will contradict the habits of countless drivers who believe stopping as close to the car in front as possible will help them beat a red light.

The study, published in the New Journal of Physics, used video cameras attached to drone helicopters to capture footage of cars accelerating through a traffic light.

Researchers discovered that any decrease in distance to the traffic light was offset by the time it took for cars to regain a comfortable spacing before drivers behind could accelerate.

Prof Jonathan Boreyko, co-author of the study said: “The results mean there’s no point in getting closer to the car in front of you when traffic comes to a stop.”