How Should You Handle South Florida Tailgaters?

While driving around minding your business, you may have noticed someone following you a little too closely. You may have even driven a little faster to put some distance between you, but they stubbornly stayed on your bumper, not taking the hint. Drivers who pull up behind your car and drive much too closely are known as tailgaters, and tailgating is a common form of aggressive driving. While tailgaters can be a serious nuisance, there are safe ways to handle them.

To avoid an accident, you should try these driving techniques the next time you encounter a South Florida tailgater. In the aftermath of a major collision, victims may face lengthy healing times and exorbitant expenses. In many cases, legal action is necessary to ensure the liable party covers the damage they caused. In your time of need, you should seek justice in compensation with the aid of an experienced car accident attorney.

You Should Try to Remain Calm

For many people, tailgaters are intimidating. Driving too closely to someone is dangerous, and there’s no way to know the tailgater’s intentions. Drivers tailgate for various reasons. They may be in a hurry, have poor driving habits, or have road rage.

Regardless, you should do your best to keep your cool when someone is tailgating you. Allowing your emotions to take over and reacting strongly could make things worse and divert your attention away from the road, resulting in a collision.

You Should Keep Your Speed Consistent

Regardless of the other driver, you should maintain a safe and steady speed. Don’t accelerate just to get away from the tailgater. Going too fast could be illegal and dangerous, so it’s not the best strategy for handling tailgaters.

Though it may be tempting, you should resist the urge to accelerate to prevent the tailgater from passing you. Instead, keep your speed consistent and allow the vehicle behind you to safely overtake you when the time comes.

You Should Move Out of the Way if You Can

If you’re on a multi-lane road and it’s safe, change lanes to get out of the way of the tailgater. Alternatively, pull over to the side of the road and wait for them to pass. If you’re on a two-lane roadway with no passing lanes or the other driver refuses to pass, look for a safe place to pull over until the tailgater passes you.

Try to avoid pulling over to the shoulder or into an emergency lane, as this can create a road hazard. When a road splits into one or two lanes in each direction, always move into the right lane so that tailgaters can pass you on the left.

You Should Avoid Getting Into a Confrontation With the Tailgater

The last thing you want to do is get into a fight while driving. When facing a potentially dangerous situation, it’s natural to feel confrontational, especially if you are worried about other people on the road or in your vehicle. However, you should not respond to someone else’s aggressive driving by being aggressive yourself.

It is crucial that you do not do anything to provoke the other driver, but instead allow the situation to diffuse. Confronting the other driver could put you and others in even more danger, especially if they are experiencing road rage. Also, it is not your responsibility to retaliate against the tailgater or attempt to stop them from driving recklessly. It may be better to pull over and call the authorities to report the other driver if you have reason to be truly concerned for your or others’ safety on the road.

Consult a Car Accident Lawyer Experienced With Tailgating Accidents

Giving other drivers ample space isn’t just courteous, but also safe driving. Tailgating is one of many ways an auto accident can happen on Florida’s highways and roads. You should know that you have options for recovering damages you may have incurred from being seriously injured due to your accident.

The Law Offices of Scott Sobol in South Florida has represented over 1,000 clients and is committed to properly examining every aspect of your auto accident. Attorney Scott Sobol is an experienced car accident lawyer ready to fight for your rights and help you obtain the greatest compensation from all available sources. After suffering a severe injury in a South Florida tailgating accident, call our office at (954) 440-2000 or send in a contact form for a free consultation on your claims.