What is usually the best course of action when being followed too closely by another vehicle?

Maintaining a safe following distance is crucial for safe driving, so if you find yourself being followed closely by another vehicle, dropping back farther from the vehicle ahead is often the best response. By increasing your distance from the car in front of you, you not only create more space for yourself, but you also ensure that you have a greater buffer zone in case the vehicle in front of you needs to stop suddenly. This can prevent collisions and provide you with more time to react to any potential hazards.

While maintaining your speed can seem like a reasonable option, it may not effectively mitigate the stress or dangers associated with being tailgated. Accelerating away from the vehicle behind you could lead to situations where you are driving too fast for the conditions or further escalating the situation with the tailgating driver. Signaling and changing lanes might work if there is space available, but it's not always a practical solution and might not address the immediate concern of being closely followed. Thus, dropping back creates a safer scenario by prioritizing your own space and reaction time.