Another driver is tailgating you. What should you do?
-
A.
Slow down suddenly to force them to back off
-
B.
Keep your course and speed, then merge right when safe Correct
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C.
Speed up to open more space between you
The answer is "Keep your course and speed, then merge right when safe"
With a tailgater behind you, the manual says to maintain your course and speed, then merge right into another lane when safe to let them pass. Slowing down suddenly is a habit some drivers reach for as a punishment move, but the manual treats it as a collision risk, not an approved response.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Slow down suddenly to force them to back off
The manual does not endorse sudden slowdowns as a response; it treats them as a collision risk. This answer uses the brake as a message to the tailgater, when the manual treats that as more likely to cause a crash than prevent one.
C. Speed up to open more space between you
The manual's fix is a lane change, not a speed change; speeding up keeps the tailgater on your bumper. This answer adds throttle to open a gap the tailgater matches within seconds, when the manual's fix moves you out of their path instead.
This question tests your knowledge of Defensive Driving in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Tailgating (Following Too Closely)," p.57..
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