Tailgating is fairly common, and it can create a lot of stress and anxiety when someone is following your vehicle so closely. It also increases the odds that you will be injured in an accident caused by the tailgater.
But if tailgating is so dangerous, why do people do it? There are a few different potential reasons to keep in mind.
Frustration over speed
Often, the issue is simply that the following driver wants to go much faster than the car ahead of them, and they are frustrated. This does not necessarily mean that the front car is driving too slowly. They themselves could be speeding, such as someone who goes 30 miles an hour through a 25 mph zone. However, the driver behind them wants to go even faster and is trying to get them to speed up.
Road rage
In other cases, tailgating can be one of the symptoms of road rage. Perhaps the rear driver feels that the front driver cut them off. They are tailgating aggressively as a way of reprimanding them.
Trying to get them to move over
On the interstate, tailgating sometimes happens when a relatively slow driver is in the left-hand lane, or the passing lane. The driver behind them may want them to move over and merge into the right-hand lane.
What should you do about a tailgater?
If you are being tailgated, your best course of action is usually to try to get the other driver to pass your vehicle. The sooner you can get them to move on, the less danger you face on the road.
Tailgating is common, though, so there is always a chance that you could be injured in an accident another driver causes. If so, you need to know how to seek financial compensation for medical bills and more.