When you’re driving on local roads across Australia, it’s not unusual to come across impatient drivers who tailgate you.
While tailgating is considered a fineable offence across all Australian states and territories, determining whether or not another motorist has violated the road rules is generally up to police.
It has deployed ‘tailgating awareness monitors’ at four unspecified sites across Queensland, which send out real-time alerts to motorists who are caught driving too closely to the vehicle in front.
These road cameras will be active for 24 hours, seven days a week. It’s worth noting that motorists caught tailgating by the cameras won’t be fined for breaking the road rules, with the project serving mainly as a road safety tool while gathering traffic data.
“The trial aims to encourage safe driving behaviour by providing a positive message to drivers when they are following at a safe distance and a warning message when they are too close,” TMR said in a media statement.
According to TMR, a green ‘safe gap’ symbol will appear to drivers whose vehicles are travelling more than two seconds apart, while a red ‘too close’ warning sign will flash if motorists are caught driving less than two seconds behind the driver in front.
What are the fines for tailgating?
While there’s no specific time or distance limit that qualifies as tailgating in the road rules, various state and territory road authorities advise drivers to leave a two to three-second distance between themselves and the car in front.
In Victoria, drivers who fail to keep a safe distance between their car and the vehicle in front can be fined five penalty units ($987).
Motorists caught tailgating in New South Wales can be issued a maximum fine of 20 penalty units valued at $2200 in 2025.
In Queensland, drivers who don’t leave a safe distance between themselves and the driver in front can be issued a maximum penalty of $3220.
Meanwhile, tailgaters caught in South Australia can be fined $504 and one demerit point for breaking the road rules.
For Western Australian residents, “failing to follow a vehicle at a safe distance” can land local drivers a $200 fine and two demerit points.
Meanwhile, in the Australian Capital Territory, motorists who don’t leave a safe gap to the vehicle in front can be fined $434.
Offenders living in Tasmania can be issued a maximum penalty of $2020 for tailgating, while the Northern Territory doesn't have any specific penalties for tailgating.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
