People are often hesitant to let a tailgater pass. They certainly don’t like being tailgated, but they also take offense to the idea that the tailgater could force their hand. Even though the person behind them may be driving so aggressively just because they want to get around or they want the other driver to speed up, a tailgating scenario is inherently frustrating. Egos collide and drivers sometimes make dangerous decisions as a result.
However, if and when you find yourself in this situation, you should set your ego aside and simply let the tailgater go around. It’s the easiest and safest way to deal with this problem. Simply take care to make smart decisions about how to defer, such as finding a good place to pull off of the road or to switch lanes. It should be your goal to get the other car to go around you, as it is the easiest way to protect yourself from being injured in a rear-end accident.
Should you just hit the brakes?
Slowing down can help in some situations. For instance, the tailgater may not realize how close they’ve gotten or they may be waiting for a gap in oncoming traffic to pass. If you’re driving at a bit of a slower speed, doing so can act as a prompt for the follow car to pass.
But the thing to keep in mind is that you’ll need to slow down gradually and safely. Do not hit the brakes aggressively, a tactic that is often referred to as “brake checking” someone. This can cause an accident that could be deemed your fault, even though you were being tailgated at the time. Slowing down in a controlled fashion can be beneficial without causing a crash.
What if you get injured?
Knowing how to handle tailgaters is half of the battle, but you can never fully predict the mistakes that other people are going to make. You may do everything correctly and still get injured by a dangerous driver. That’s when it’s time to look into your options to seek compensation. Seeking legal guidance is a good first step.