if another driver is tailgating you, it's safest to:

First off, don't "brake check" them; hitting your brakes could cause a crash! If you are going under the speed limit, increase your speed safely to the legal limit. The reality of driving is that the full range of human emotions and rationalizations is involved. If the driver behind you is following too closely, slow down slightly and allow them to pass. However, proving that another driver is tailgating you can be complicated. The Law Office of Jason R. Schultz, P.C. Remaining calm also ensures youre able to stay in control of your vehicle and avoid causing an accident. If you need to brake for real at some point, the driver behind you may not react at all. In most U.S. states, it is illegal to tailgate a car. In more severe cases, tailgating may be an expression of road rage . These types of tailgaters know that tailgating is dangerous and should not be done on the street. If you realize you are one of these types of tailgaters, stop tailgating by all means. They will pass you. Explanation If you are being tailgated, you should increase the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. If youre following the truck, theyll pass you as well before theyre able to tailgate you. So, what is tailgating, why do people tailgate and how to stop tailgaters, check this article to know! Dont speed up to make them happy if it means breaking the speed limit. If the road is wet or your vehicle is over-sized,, you need even more distance to safely stop. When another driver follows too closely behind you (also known as tailgating), they fail to provide enough distance to stop safely, potentially leading to a rear-end accident if you suddenly need to slow down or stop. The best thing to do if someone is tailgating you is to try to get out of their way. When you pass a sign, count the number of one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, and one-thousand- three. Ask a Lawyer, South Carolina Personal Injury Awards & Settlements, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 33% of South Carolinians killed in car accidents, How Pedestrians Can Stay Safe and Seen by Cars After Dark, Fatal Accidents on the Rise Due to Distracted Driving in South Carolina. If the methods listed above do not stop your tailgating problem, you should pull over to a safe, well-lit area with other people around. Knowing what they are doing does not mean they will not face the potentially dangerous situation. aggressive driving is one of the leading causes of accidents in the United States. Keeping a good distance between you and the car in front of you is the safest way to avoid a rear-end collision. Tailgating is a form of aggressive driving that can lead to rear-end collisions and even multi-car accidents. It's safer to have the tailgater in front of you than right behind you. Don't increase your speed in an attempt to appease or outdistance the tailgater. What to do if a driver is tailgating you? "If someone witnesses serious driving danger, we ask that you record the licence plate number, pull over to a . If they get into trouble, they may instinctively swerve back into your lane and hit you. If you need to slow down then do so early and slowly, and don't use the engine to slow down, ensure you're on the brakes. Imagine you are on a street with 2 lanes and it is rush hour. Tailgating is the act of following another car too closely. Tailgating is when another driver follows too closely behind another car. There is no need to answer back or retaliate if a tailgater yells at you. Your brakelights are what the tailgater is looking for, and if you slow down any other way they may not be able to react. To measure this distance, pick a spot ahead of you. "a driver shall, if following another vehicle, maintain an assured clear distance between the two vehicles so that, considering the speed of the vehicles, traffic, and the conditions of the highway, the operator can safely stop without colliding with the preceding vehicle or veering into another vehicle, object, or person on or near the highway." We provide 1-2-1 on-road coaching for organisations and individuals to develop their driving skills. They tailgate so often and recklessly, that they will eventually end up crashing. 1. If it's safe, just pull to the side of the road and allow whomever was following you to pass. Keep calm and carry on. Answer: Tailgaters are frustrating and dangerous but there is really nothing a driver can do to make them stop tailgating! Increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead. This extra time may prove crucial if you need to commit to an emergency brake. When drivers have to stop abruptly, tailgaters . Tailgating is dangerous because it reduces the space between cars to an unsafe distance. Or worse, they could have a case of road rage. If you're being tailgated, leave more space between you and the car in front. Nobody likes a tailgater Tailgating doesn't make the person in front of you drive faster. Keep your signal on while youre pulled over, until youre ready to merge back into traffic. children, and are very aware of the the speed limits and want to obey the law. Worse, you can cause a crash, hurt yourself and wreck your car. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. a licensed driver at least 21 If someone is tailgating you, you should: move into another lane You are driving on a highway where the posted speed limit is 70mph. However, this tactic is extremely dangerous and could escalate the situation. There is a bad driving habit that most drivers have, which can cause serious accidents is, Tailgating driving is when a driver drives behind. Because theyve encountered someone in their own lane, they may decide to pass you on the right. Letting emotions get the best of you could aggravate the situation further, distract you and the other driver from the road, and ultimately cause a dangerous accident. someone is tailgating you because they want you to drive faster. As soon as a tailgater engages, put your blinker on to move to an adjacent lane when it is safe. tailgating is the main cause of rear-end crashes. No matter how much it might intimidate or anger you, its important to keep level-headed when youre subject to tailgating and to avoid an accident where possible. Speed up. This will trigger the brake lights and give the tailgater a chance to slow down and avoid colliding with you. If you suspect that the driver tailgating you is under the influence of substances or trying to aggravate or harm you, call the police or have a passenger do so. Both are punishable by law with fines, court appearances, and even imprisonment in the most severe cases. I was sick of being forced to travel faster than I wanted to. We love our community, animals and. Can you report someone for tailgating UK? 2022 Accurate Auto Insurance. 70 When passing a car, it's safe to return to your original driving lane when headlights are in review mirror So although it may be tempting, please resist the urge to brake-check the tailgater and try to get away from them instead. Every time, it's unsafe and poses a major risk to everyone involved. An overwhelmed driver becomes a dangerous driver and makes you as much of a threat to the other drivers as the tailgater. We can't control another driver's behavior, we can only take actions to remove ourselves from the dangerous situation. Since 1968, the South Carolina personal injury and workers compensation attorneys of Joye Law Firm have been committed to securing compensation for accident and injury victims. Site by Consultwebs.com: Law Firm Website Designers / Personal Injury Lawyer Marketing. If you are being followed never drive back home. Do not attempt this on a major, multi-lane highway as it may be difficult to merge back into traffic later or the shoulder may not be wide enough. If you do not feel it is safe to drive the speed of the flow of traffic, you should drive in the slow lane or on another road. M: Move over. However, if you appeal the matter to court, you can be subject to a maximum fine of $2,200. It can also lead to road rage. Sometimes, tailgating can be a simple act of negligence, performed by someone who considers themselves an otherwise safe driver. Don't slam on the brakes for no reason - and certainly not to be spiteful . Since this bad habit is so widespread across the state, its helpful to understand what to do if someone is tailgating you on the road to avoid an injury accident or road rage incident. On the motorway, change to a slower lane as soon as it's safe to do so. These behaviors are only annoying, and tailgaters might take them as signs of aggression. Look on the back of your state-issued driver's license to find the number in the future. Additionally, if you pull over, you can report the incident directly to the police. Should you find yourself being tailgated, our advice is simple: remain calm, do not speed up and let the other driver pass if safe to do so. Tailgating means youre not keeping a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front. Once they've passed, continue driving at a safe speed and maintain a generous distance between your car and theirs. Allow the offending motorist to pass. In a tailgating case, the other driver may claim you acted aggressively by slamming on your brakes. If you are being tailgated, leave more space between you and the vehicle in front of you. The short answer is yes, tailgating is considered illegal in most US states. Give them the opportunity to pass by moving left, if appropriate. Don't speed up Don't speed up and break the speed limit in order to increase the gap between you and the tailgater. The safe distance for each country is different but in general, the driver should keep a distance greater than half of the speed in meters or a time gap of two seconds. Follow a truck, YUP! What is a good response to a tailgating driver? As long as you were able to count to 3, youre following at a safe distance. . . 1111 West 22nd Street #610Oak Brook, IL 60523. You should keep a distance of between 2-3 seconds of time between you and the car in front of you. Dont speed up to appease a tailgater. A lot of poor or lazy drivers just zombie ride the driver ahead without thinking. Other times, people tailgate cars out of habit. So if a driver tailgates you, you can report the other driver to the police, and they may be fined for their actions. Dont slam on the brakes, shout out your window, or make rude gestures, as these actions may escalate the situation. What to do if a driver is tailgating you? Instead, drive to a busy area with lots of people - eg. And keep in mind that you can handle tailgaters so do not become tailgater yourself. Typically, the driver who was tailgating is held liable for the subsequent car accident. The rule is that a driver should ideally stay at least two seconds behind any vehicle that is directly in front of his or her vehicle. This type of tailgater, they know that they are following tailgating driving and are fully aware of the risk they could face. If another driver tailgates you, change lanes and let the driver pass. True or false? You can also find another road to go to your destination to avoid the tailgater. But what if the front car maintains its speed? This means that the time difference between the back of the vehicle in front and the front of your vehicle should not be less than two seconds. If the area allows, you can also pull into a parking lot and remain there until the tailgater has passed. 4 Vital Reasons, So we already introduced to you the four types of tailgaters. He presents driving tips and tricks for everyone through easy-following steps and mechanically but friendly writing. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. If you're being tailgated, be extra cautious when you brake. Remember that the other car might be following you so closely that he cannot see your brake lights until it is too late. However, proving that another driver is tailgating you can be complicated. When one driver follows another so closely that there is little time to react, this action puts both drivers and those around them at risk of an accident. . Accidents can happen anywhere on the street and do not contribute any damage to you and other people. Thanks! It often happens when a driver is irritated or believes the car in front of them is driving slowly. How Long Does an Accident Stay on Your Driving Record in South Carolina. Remember, if someone is following too close, dont brake-check them and dont get angry. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), "following too closely" falls under two categories: Aggressive driving and careless driving. % of people told us that this article helped them. Expert Interview. If someone is tailgating you, you may want to call the police. However, determining fault isnt always so cut and dry. For example, if the driver hits their brakes because youre brake-checking them and theres a car following closely behind them, they could cause a rear-end collision. Read more articles about driving tips so you will be confident to drive on the street. Rule 126 of The Highway Code says: 'Tailgating is dangerous, intimidating and can cause collisions, especially when driving at speed. another vehicle while not leaving sufficient distance to stop without causing a collision if the vehicle in front stops suddenly. Now that you know what to do when an aggressive driver is tailgating your vehicle, you can help keep yourself and other drivers safe on the road. What should you do if another driver is tailgating you? and stop counting when you pass that spot. Unfortunately it can also result in an accident that would be your fault. it's $110. Our Dallas car accident lawyers at The Lenahan Law Firm can assist you by investigating your accident, securing evidence, assessing your damages, preparing your case, negotiating with insurance companies, and fighting for the compensation you deserve in court, if necessary. Tailgating-Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. Tailgating a car is illegal. In some cases, tailgating can be malicious. It can also lead to road rage. The National Highway Traffic, A frightening trend is occurring across the country a steep increase in injuries and deaths caused by distracted driving accidents. These methods of getting out of the lane will save you from tailgating driving. Sometimes both drivers are partially at fault for a crash. *Note that this distance increases with . Regardless of your speed, try to remain at least 3 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you. 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