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Being in a hurry is not a good enough reason to tailgate

On Behalf of | Jan 24, 2020 | Firm News

Like most Louisiana residents, you likely have somewhere you need to be almost every day. As a result, you get in your vehicle and try to make it to your destination without any major setbacks. You give yourself time to get ready and leave on time so that you do not feel in a rush while behind the wheel of your car.

Of course, other drivers do not always ensure that they have enough time to get to their destinations, and it is likely that you have found yourself tailgated more than once. You may have simply been trying to follow the rules of the road when another driver decided to get too close for comfort.

Why do people tailgate?

Though tailgating is dangerous, numerous people participate in this activity. Some reasons people follow too closely include the following:

  • They do not fully understand the dangers of driving too closely to another vehicle.
  • They are late and want the vehicle in front of them to speed up.
  • They may try to spite a driver who changed lanes or pulled out in front of them.
  • They may simply feel impatient and want to go faster.
  • They may feel road rage for something they perceived another driver did.

Unfortunately, none of these reasons are enough to justify tailgating another driver. It can cause you great anxiety to have another driver following too closely, and the worry you feel because of that driver’s actions may cause you to get distracted from your own driving.

How can you handle tailgating?

If someone tailgates you, avoid the urge to speed up. Though creating more distance between your vehicle and the tailgating vehicle is advisable, you do not want to end up speeding and putting yourself and others at risk. If possible, change lanes so the other driver can go around you or pull off the road safely into a parking lot or another area so that the driver can go by.

If you have to stop suddenly, slow down for a red light or stop sign, or make a turn, the driver tailgating you may not have enough time to stop. As a result, that vehicle could strike yours. If that happens, you could easily suffer serious injuries that leave you facing financial, physical and mental setbacks. Those damages could warrant your pursuit of a personal injury claim against the driver considered at fault.