If you find yourself being followed by a tailgater, it can certainly make you feel uneasy. Having someone so close to the rear end of your vehicle drastically increases the odds of an accident. But it often feels like there’s very little that you can do to control how the tailgater drives.
That being said, there are certain things you want to avoid, as escalating the situation could lead to a crash. Below are a few things you should not do if you are being followed by a tailgater:
Don’t slam on the brakes
Do not slam on the brakes or “brake check” the other driver. If you have to slow down, do so gradually and give them a chance to react. Never, do anything that makes an accident more likely. Brake checking someone else can cause an accident that may be your fault.
Don’t feel that you have to speed up
In many cases, tailgaters are trying to get the vehicles ahead of them to go faster. But be wary about giving in to this pressure. Do not exceed the speed limit or drive too fast for conditions. If you do so and you end up causing an accident, the tailgater is just going to continue driving. Always put your own safety over their desires.
Don’t pull over aggressively
In some cases, it is best to pull over to let the tailgater pass your vehicle. However, make sure that you don’t do this in an aggressive manner so that it looks like the beginning of a road rage incident. Don’t make any gestures or hand motions. Just look for a safe place to pull over, like a parking lot or a driveway.
Unfortunately, even if you do everything right, another negligent driver may cause a serious car accident. If you get injured, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.