People tend to react in a few different ways to tailgaters. Some people will slam sharply on the brakes, a tactic often referred to as brake checking. Others will speed up, feeling like the tailgater is “pushing” their vehicle forward.
But both of these tactics can be very dangerous. Even speeding up may not get the tailgater to back off. Brake checking them could actually just cause a collision that may be the front driver’s fault if they acted negligently. So if you find yourself in this situation, what should you really do?
Allow the tailgater to pass your vehicle
The proper tactic is actually very simple: Just let the person pass. You’re in greater danger when they’re behind you and they aren’t maintaining a proper following distance. Your number one goal should be to get them to go by so that you are no longer being tailgated.
There are a few ways to go about this. If you’re on a multilane road, you may be able to switch lanes. If there are passing zones, you could slow down while you are within those zones to give the person a better chance to get around. In some cases, you may even consider turning into a driveway or pulling off to the side of the road. This is a common tactic on remote roads, such as those in national parks, and there may even be designated pull-off areas where drivers can move to the side and let faster vehicles go by.
Always remember that tailgating is quite dangerous. If a tailgater does hit your vehicle and injures you, then you need to know how to seek financial compensation.