Dear Casper Drivers: Riding Bumpers Won’t Get You There Sooner

Personally, I don't know why this seems to be a thing every year, but I feel like something needs to be said yet again: stop tailgating!

Why is tailgating dangerous?

According to information gleaned from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are approximately 1.2 to 2 million rear-end collisions in the United States annually, which account for over 33% of all traffic accidents. Tailgating is also the cause of 76% of crashes for drivers with six years or less of driving experience.

You would think those statistics alone would be enough to discourage those types of driving behaviors, but apparently, it is not.

Why Should You Stop Tailgating?

Other than the safety aspects, the other main reason to not ride someone's bumper should be obvious: it doesn't work! 

Very rarely, (if ever), have I seen it work effectively. As a matter of fact, it normally ends up causing the opposite of the desired effect, meaning more often than not, it makes people slow down.

Another thing to consider is "if" you are following too closely and end up rear-ending someone, you are 100% at fault. Law enforcement knows this and so do the insurance companies.

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One of the areas where I see it happening the most is when I'm about to make a right turn. I consider myself to be a very considerate driver, so I tend to signal a right turn slightly earlier than most, just to let the drivers behind me know it's coming (specifically, turning onto Gannett Street off Wyoming Boulevard were I know the speed limit is 40 mph). Because that turn is on an incline, slowing down somewhat is a must to keep from tearing up your undercarriage and/or getting airborne. Yet and still, on almost a weekly basis, I get flipped off... or worse.

Wyomingites are known for being kindhearted and caring to our neighbors. We should extend the same courtesies on the open roads.