Being followed by a tailgater can be frustrating and stressful. You find yourself constantly checking the mirrors, worried that they’re going to cause a rear-end accident and you’re going to be injured.
Some people deal with this by slamming on the brakes. They called this “brake checking” the other vehicle. What they’re really hoping to do is to cause a near miss that convinces the tailgater to back up.
But you should never do this for two reasons. For one thing, it tends not to work. For another, if you do cause an accident, you could be liable even though the other person rear-ended you.
So, what should you do?
Thankfully, there are some simple steps that you can take to deal with a tailgater and hopefully defuse the situation. Here are a few tips that will help:
- Drive at a steady speed.
- If you have to slow down, do so gradually.
- Stay calm and collected.
- Slow down to give them the opportunity to pass.
- Do not escalate the situation.
Usually, if you slow down, the tailgater will take the hint and pass you when they have an opportunity to do so. If this opportunity doesn’t present itself, it may be best for you to pull off of the road entirely to let them go around. On some smaller roads, this could just mean pulling over onto the shoulder. But on busy streets, you certainly need to look for a safe place, such as a parking lot or a driveway.
Unfortunately, though, tailgaters do cause accidents every day. If you’ve been injured in a crash, you need to know how to see compensation for medical bills and other costs.
