There are two types of tailgating. You can tailgate at a football game by grilling up hot dogs in the parking lot and engaging in some pre-game fun. You could also tailgate someone on the road by driving too close. It is that type of tailgating that can lead to accidents.
Tailgating can be considered a form of distracted driving. If someone is actively engaging in tailgating, it may be a sign of an aggressive driver, which can escalate into a serious situation that can trigger a chain reaction of collisions. This is the type of car accident that can lead to serious injury, mounting medical expenses, and lost wages.
All of that could be recovered with the support of the attorneys from Forbes Law Offices. We’ve helped many clients receive the maximum compensation they are entitled to.
Of course, the best option is to avoid getting into those dangerous situations in the first place. Do you know what to do if someone is tailgating you? The following steps are what you should do if you find yourself in this situation.
Shift Your Attitude
The first tailgating scenario you might find yourself in is when you’re the actual driver doing the tailgating. This might happen if you find yourself behind a driver that you’re not happy with.
Maybe they’re driving too slow or not “closing the gap” with the car in front of them. Whatever the reason, you might think the best “correction” is to drive close and tailgate.
First, intentionally tailgating someone would be considered an act of intimidation. The driver you’re tailgating would be within their rights to call 911 to report an “aggressive driver.” When you pull up close to another car, they could suddenly slam on their brakes, causing you to rear-end them. In that scenario, you could be held responsible for the accident.
The best thing you can do if you’re frustrated with a slow driver is to let that frustration go. When it’s safe, you can pass the person if you follow the same rules of the road.
Brake Slow
If you’re the driver who finds themselves with a car riding your bumper, you need to brake slowly.
The car behind you might be too close to react in time to avoid a collision. You don’t want to slam on your brakes in retaliation.
Move to Another Lane
If you’re on a multi-lane road and find yourself with a car tailgating you from behind, you should try to move to another lane and let the vehicle pass you by. If there isn’t another lane, you could consider pulling off into a parking lot or other safe space. The car that is tailgating will probably just drive on.
What Are Other Forms of Aggressive Driving?
Tailgating isn’t the only type of aggressive driving that you might encounter on the road.
Other types are as follows:
- Cutting in front of another driver and then slowing down
- Running red lights
- Weaving in and out of traffic
- Changing lanes without signaling
- Blocking cars attempting to pass or change lanes
- Using headlights or brakes to “punish” other drivers
Speeding is also a type of aggressive driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 11,775 people were killed in crashes where speeding was the contributing factor.
These are all the types of behavior you should steer clear of if you encounter them on the road.
How Forbes Law Offices Helps Victims of Tailgating Crashes
If you’ve been involved in an accident with a driver who was tailgating, they might try to shift the blame to you. That is when the experienced attorneys at Forbes Law Offices can help.
We provide guidance and information to many clients who have been involved in car accidents. Our support begins with a comprehensive assessment of what happened and the prospects for recovering any damages.
We won’t move forward with a claim unless we have confidence in the outcome. If you’ve been involved in an accident, we want to hear what happened.
Call to set up a free consultation today.
