How should you react to a tailgater?

Prepare for the Driver Improvement Program Exam with multiple-choice questions and explanations. Sharpen your skills and gain confidence for your upcoming test.

When dealing with a tailgater, the most appropriate reaction is to stay calm, maintain your speed, and change lanes when safe. This approach is effective for several reasons.

Firstly, remaining calm ensures that you can think clearly and make sound decisions. Panic or frustration can lead to erratic driving behaviors, which may exacerbate the situation. By maintaining your speed, you provide the tailgater stability in their expectations, allowing them to anticipate any necessary maneuvers.

Changing lanes when it is safe to do so allows you to create more distance from the tailgater, reducing the risk of a collision. This courteous action can help alleviate potential tension between you and the following driver. It's important to ensure that there is a safe gap to change lanes, as sudden movements can lead to accidents.

Other reactions, such as accelerating to increase distance, could lead to increased speed discrepancies that may confuse other drivers and worsen the situation. Ignoring the tailgater altogether could mean you don't address the danger they pose, leaving both drivers in a precarious situation. Finally, braking suddenly is highly discouraged, as it can provoke a rear-end collision with the tailgater, putting both vehicles at risk. Thus, the best course of action combines calmness

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