This Ridiculous Multi-Car Pile-Up Shows Why Tailgating Is A Bad Idea

Even when conditions are good, tailgating can leave you looking like a complete idiot if something happens to cars in front
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Tailgating is never really a great idea. Even if you’re doing it to stop people pushing into a queue, you’re still taking a risk every time you do it.

This dashcam footage taken from the windscreen of a fully-loaded truck shows what can happen when you don’t leave enough space. Filmed last week on a highway outside Williamsburg, Virginia, the bizarre and totally avoidable multi-car fender bender is well worthy of a good facepalm.

This Ridiculous Multi-Car Pile-Up Shows Why Tailgating Is A Bad Idea

Fast-forward to about 1min50sec to get the action. As the camera truck, which the driver says was loaded at close to 36 tonnes at the time, follows at a safe distance, the truck in front suddenly manoeuvres sideways as the unfolding accident comes into view.

We don’t know whether it was caused by the first car brake-checking the second one (not unlikely), but those two coming to a halt sees one car after another pile into the back of what’s in front. Moronic. One car even gets pushed free of the mess only to smash straight into the side of the innocent semi that had tried to get out of the way.

Apparently, the State Troopers were grateful for this footage and it’s not terribly difficult to see why. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt.

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Comments

Anonymous

When you don’t have stoping power, don’t tailgate, give some room to brake, or try do dodge!
several times I saved my previous car from crashes… I had to brake hard and wheels locked (no ABS). let go off the brake a little and dodge! worked everytime

03/23/2017 - 04:19 |
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Dave 12

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Even if you think you have stopping power don’t tailgate. Because if it’s someone like me in front I’m going to mess with you and ruin your day!

03/24/2017 - 07:01 |
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Anonymous

Fun Fact: If the camera kept rolling for another 30 minutes would would have seen me drive by that wreck.

03/23/2017 - 05:30 |
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David Frake

amazing video

03/23/2017 - 08:09 |
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Cagri Sucu

Civic is the dead driver in GTA5

03/23/2017 - 08:44 |
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Anonymous

Tailgaters are known as “Holdens” here in Australia. Well, at least the southwestern part.

03/23/2017 - 11:36 |
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Anonymous

my dad was always telling me about safety distances between cars and always tried to keep them
he once was on the highway and in front of him there was a huge pile-up
since he kept his safety distance he managed to brake in time and avoided the crash
or so he thought because he got rear ended because the guy behind him didnt brake in time (i wonder why)
honestly i dont know how people manage to get so close to other people when you really cant predict what the other guy will do, he could really see something on the road and get scared and brake for a moment, in this case he ll get rear-ended from the guy behind who tailgates

03/23/2017 - 11:43 |
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Anonymous

The civic looks totalled D:

03/23/2017 - 11:59 |
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Anonymous

Poor E class :(

03/23/2017 - 14:08 |
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Jermaine Rodney

This is everyday traveling to and from Toronto. Surprisingly the accidents is low, we just have 3-5 lanes of traffic to work with.

03/23/2017 - 16:22 |
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Chris Pearson

That civic tried to f&f in under the trick

03/23/2017 - 17:41 |
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