'I'm a car expert - one in four drivers are breaking the Highway Code's simplest rule'

Experts warn one in four driversfail to leave a safe two-second gap - with just a second less meaning seven car lengths lost at 70mph.

Ever tailgated on the motorway and thought you had enough room to stop? Chances are, you didn't. Motoring experts say thousands of drivers are breaking one of the simplest Highway Code rules - the two-second rule -and putting themselves and others at risk.

Dick Lovett reveals one in four drivers (25%) don't leave even the minimum two-second gap between themselves and the car in front. Every second makes a huge difference and their calculations found that leaving just one second less means losing just over 31 metres at motorway speeds, or more than seven car lengths.

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Here's how much distance is lost per second at different speeds:

• 20mph: 8.9m

• 30mph: 13.4m

• 40mph: 17.9m

• 50mph: 22.4m

• 60mph: 26.8m

• 70mph: 31.3m

Alex Lee, motoring expert at Dick Lovett, said the simple two-second count could save lives and shares tips to drive safely.

Use a fixed marker

“Choose something fixed, like a lamppost or road sign. When the car in front passes it, start counting ‘one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two.’ If you pass the marker before you finish, you’re too close.”

Count for the conditions

“In the rain, double your count to four seconds, and in ice or snow, leave as much as ten times the normal gap. Braking distances can rise sharply, so there’s no such thing as leaving too much space in poor weather.”

Use time, not distance

“Metres are hard to judge when you’re moving, but time works at any speed. Counting seconds keeps it simple, whether you’re in town at 30mph or on the motorway at 70mph."

With a quarter of drivers failing to leave even the minimum safe gap, Dick Lovett is urging motorists to check their driving habits, as a simple count of two seconds could make all the difference in avoiding a collision.