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Should you let a tailgater pass?

On Behalf of | Apr 5, 2021 | Car Accidents

If someone begins tailgating you, what do you do? Many people change nothing, just driving as they were before and assuming the tailgater will eventually back off. Others actively try to get them to back up, which can be dangerous.

Should you just let a tailgater pass? 

Avoiding risk should be your top goal

What you should remember is that nothing is more important than avoiding accidents and reducing risks. In the United States, we lose between 35,000 and 40,000 people every year in traffic accidents. The focus has to be on safety, and that means calmly allowing that tailgater to pass when it’s safe to do so, even if that means slowing down or pulling carefully onto the shoulder of the road. 

The reason people don’t do this more often is that they don’t have to, technically speaking. You’re not obligated to let them pass, and they’re the person driving dangerously, not you. It feels unfair to think that you’re going to change how you drive on their account. And, in reality, it is unfair. You’re right to feel frustrated by it. 

But you do not want to increase accident risks just for the sake of things being fair. This isn’t a pride issue. It’s a safety issue. Doing what you can to protect yourself and others is the most important thing. 

If you’re hit by a negligent driver, you can take action

You can’t always safely let someone pass, though, and that tailgater may cause an accident. If you get injured in a rear-end collision, you need to know how to seek financial compensation for medical bills and other costs. An attorney can help you learn more.

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