What should you do if you encounter a tailgater?

When encountering a tailgater, it is important to prioritize safety and manage the situation effectively. Gradually increasing your speed or changing lanes safely allows you to create more distance between your vehicle and the tailgater. This not only helps to ease the pressure of the tailgater behind you but also reduces the risk of a potential rear-end collision.

By safely changing lanes, you can allow the tailgater to pass, thereby removing the immediate discomfort without escalating the situation. Alternatively, gradually increasing your speed can help if you are traveling slower than the flow of traffic, but this should be done in a way that does not compromise your safety or that of others on the road.

Other options may lead to unsafe driving practices. Braking suddenly can cause confusion and potentially lead to a collision. Honking repeatedly can escalate tensions between drivers, which is generally not advised. Ignoring the tailgater entirely might seem passive, but it can keep you at risk as you remain in a potentially hazardous situation. Thus, the best approach is to take proactive measures, such as safely changing lanes or adjusting your speed.