If you’ve ever been followed by a tailgater, you know how unnerving it can be. They’re being aggressive because they want to pass, but you just feel like they’re about to cause an accident. You can’t take your eyes off of the mirrors and you understand that they are tremendously increasing your own risks on the road.
Because of this, people are sometimes tempted to react aggressively. They will hit their brakes to try to get the tailgate to back off, for instance, something that is known as “brake checking.” But, even though your feelings of frustration are definitely warranted, is there a better way to react?
It’s best to let them pass
It’s actually never wise to brake check someone. For one thing, it could cause an accident. Many people believe that they wouldn’t be at fault in a case like that, but you can be if it’s clear that you were acting aggressively and trying to cause the collision.
And even if you weren’t at fault, you still don’t want to cause a car accident that may lead to injuries. This is why it’s far better to simply let the tailgater pass, which may be what they wanted all along. To do so, just slow down if you’re in a passing zone so they see that they can go by. In extreme cases, you may even have to pull off to the side of the road if you find a safe place to do it.
Have you been injured by an aggressive driver?
Even knowing how to address tailgaters doesn’t necessarily mean that you will always be able to protect yourself from their aggressive behavior. If one of them hits your car and you suffer injuries, then you may need to seek financial compensation.
