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Published: 24 Mar 2026 | Last reviewed: 24 Mar 2026 | Reviewed by: VanCompare Editorial Team
Following too closely (tailgating) is a common risk on UK roads — and it isn’t a “van driver” problem. It’s a gap-judgement problem that affects everyone, especially when traffic is busy and people feel rushed.
The fix is simple in principle: understand stopping distance, and give yourself a consistent time gap that grows when conditions get worse.
Knowing your distances: stopping distance = thinking + braking
The Highway Code breaks stopping distance into:
- Thinking distance (time to spot a hazard and react), plus
- Braking distance (distance travelled after braking begins)
Its “typical stopping distances” table gives a useful guide in good conditions:
- 20mph: 12m (6m thinking + 6m braking)
- 30mph: 23m (9m + 14m)
- 40mph: 36m (12m + 24m)
- 50mph: 53m (15m + 38m)
- 60mph: 73m (18m + 55m)
- 70mph: 96m (21m + 75m)
These are guidance figures. Real stopping distance can be longer with rain, ice, worn tyres, heavy loads, poor brakes, distraction, fatigue, or downhill gradients.
The everyday rule that works: the two-second gap (and more in rain/ice)
Instead of trying to estimate metres, use time:
- The Highway Code advises drivers to allow at least a two-second gap to the vehicle in front on faster roads, and to make the gap wider as speed increases.
- The same guidance says the gap should be at least doubled on wet roads, and increased further on icy roads.
Simple method: pick a fixed point (sign, lamppost). When the vehicle ahead passes it, count “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two”. If you pass the point before you finish, you’re too close.
Why vans need extra discipline when loaded
A van that’s heavily laden can take longer to stop and may be less stable under harsh braking. If you’re carrying tools, stock, or towing, build in extra margin:
- Increase your following gap
- Anticipate stops earlier
- Keep loads secured so shifting weight doesn’t worsen braking control
Should tech be doing this for us?
Forward collision warnings and adaptive cruise can help, but they’re a back-up. Safe following distance still comes down to driver choices: time gap, speed, and being willing to ease off when someone cuts in.
Sources
- The Highway Code stopping distances (PDF table)
- GOV.UK / National Highways: two-second rule and increasing the gap in wet/icy conditions
- National Highways tailgating guidance citing the two-second rule
VanCompare Editorial Team
The VanCompare Editorial Team produces clear, practical guidance on UK van insurance and related topics. We work with FCA authorised insurance providers and use insurer information where relevant to explain cover in plain English and help drivers make informed decisions.
- Where relevant, our content is checked against publicly available UK guidance and information from sources such as the FCA and GOV.UK to help keep it accurate and up to date.
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