MOTORISTS who drive too close to the vehicle in front of them on motorways and A roads face being caught by automatic cameras that are being developed for the police.

The “tailgating” cameras would record the gap between two vehicles over a given distance, their speeds at the time and the numberplate of the offending driver. Driving too close to another vehicle is not a specific offence but prosecutions for driving without due care or dangerous driving cover more serious cases.

Chief constables have asked manufacturers to develop the cameras after research by road experts at the Department for Transport showed concern among drivers at the intimidating tactics of other motorists, especially on motorways. Police say that drivers are particularly concerned at the tactics of commercial vehicles. Research also suggests that “close following”, the police term for tailgating, is a cause of accidents.

Meredydd Hughes, the Deputy Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police and a national spokesman on road traffic equipment, said: “The public are telling us that close following annoys them. The evidence from the road transport laboratory shows it does contribute to accidents.”

The equipment being developed is likely to use lasers. Inspector David Rowland, of the Association of Chief Police Officers committee on road traffic enforcement technology, said that research has been carried out abroad to see what other countries are using.

He said that the Dutch and German police use a manually operated system, with cameras mounted on gantries over motorways, linked to police vans. Mr Rowland said that a British system could be portable and moved around the road network. The cameras would measure and record an incident over about 100 metres (330ft) and signs would be placed on roads to warn drivers that there were cameras in the area. Evidence from the cameras could be submitted to courts, which would subsequently decide on the offence and its severity.

Ed King, of the RAC Foundation, said he welcomed the police interest in curbing tailgating but questioned whether more roadside cameras were the solution. “I certainly think that tailgating, particularly on motorways, is a very serious situation,” he said.

He said that more traffic police allowed to halt and warn drivers might be as effective as cameras. Research has also shown that the system of chevrons painted on sections of some motorways, which warns drivers when they are too close to the vehicle in front, has also been effective.

• The Home Office is opposing moves by the European Commission to introduce random breath tests to catch drink-drivers. Under British legislation, police may test drivers only if they have a reason to suspect that they have been drinking alcohol.

  The president of Tispol, the European Traffic Police Network, said that the European Commission would attempt to make its recommendation a directive if it is not followed. Ad Hellemons, who is also Dutch Assistant Commissioner of Police, said: “The vast majority of member states already carry out random breath tests.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Please help: maimed children of war want their lives back
• Unlocking the cruellest prison
• Prince Charles named in £81m court battle