Traffic Offences
Following Too Closely in Ontario
Commonly called tailgating, following too closely is judged against the road and traffic conditions at the time, not a single fixed distance, and carries 4 demerit points on conviction.
What the offence actually requires
Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act requires drivers to leave a following distance that’s reasonable and prudent given the speed of traffic, the amount of traffic, and the condition of the highway. There isn’t a single fixed number of metres or car lengths written into the law that applies in every situation — a gap that’s perfectly reasonable on a dry, empty road at low speed can be dangerously close in heavy traffic, poor weather, or at highway speeds. That makes following too closely a judgment call an officer makes based on conditions at the time, rather than a simple measurement.
Penalty on conviction
A following-too-closely conviction carries 4 demerit points, the same point value as speeding 30–49 km/h over the posted limit. On its own, 4 points falls within the range that typically triggers a warning letter for a fully licensed driver, but it adds up quickly in combination with other convictions, particularly within a novice driver’s lower point thresholds. See the demerit-point chart for how it compares to other offences, and how points combine on a driving record.
Why it’s treated seriously despite being a routine ticket
Following too closely doesn’t carry the roadside consequences of a stunt-driving stop or the licence suspension risk attached to careless driving, but insurers and courts still take it seriously because it’s one of the most common contributing factors in rear-end collisions. A tailgating ticket is frequently issued alongside, or as an alternative to, a careless driving charge when a following-too-close pattern results in a collision, so the underlying driving behaviour can matter more to your record than the specific ticket wording might suggest.
How it relates to unsafe lane changes
Following distance and lane-change safety are closely related concepts — both are about maintaining enough space and time to react to what the vehicles around you are doing. A driver who follows too closely often also has less room to change lanes safely, and vice versa. See unsafe lane changes for the sibling offence that covers unsafe lateral movement rather than following distance.