Why do drivers BRAKE CHECK other vehicles?

[AviatorTom]

A brake check is when one vehicle applies its brakes, forcing a vehicle behind it to slow down.

It is one of the most unsafe things a driver can do, since it increases the possibility that the following vehicle will hit it you and cause an accident, possibly involving other vehicles. And why not pay more attention to what's in front of you than what's behind you?

As this video shows, often a brake check results in an accident.

So why do people do it?

Some people have told me they don't like the vehicle behind them following so close. Okay, fine, but why cause a situation where they're going to get even closer, and likely hit you?

Opinions on why drivers brake check are appreciated.

Updates

+1 y

I understand people don't like tailgaters, and the best way to change that is to move out of the way and let them pass you.

[AimeeKyle]

Not sure…. The brake checking individuals are dangerous and should be ticketed and be liable if an accident occurs.

Almost a year ago I was in a 6 car pileup (I was the 3rd car) that all started from the front SUV locking up his brakes. It was during rush hour, bumper to bumper (both lanes) doing ~55 MPH. The asswipe ended up having only a scratch on his bumper while I took the brunt of the force from two large SUV/pickups behind me…hitting me and shoving me and the car in front of me forward. One guy was taken to the hospital…. All told, the overall carnage/damage to everyone’s cars was in excess of 70k (20k was mine)(that doesn’t include medical).

Drivers should focus on the road in front of them and follow the rules of the road. Pass a vehicle and move over to the right hand lane (if that is an option), it’s a simple concept. The left lane is not a cruising lane….. In my case that wasn’t really the case (although it usually is)….. It was just an asshole in an expensive, foreign SUV that didn’t like the following distance of the shitbox/daily driver of the guy in front of me…..

[andreasderjuengere]

There are many simple minds around who believe that traffic is a competition, and that they have to ''prove'' some kind of dominance or performance.

Both in front, and behind.

I only use my brake light as a ''warning'' - without decelerating - a few quick taps.

If that does not generate safety distance behind me... well: A little twist with my right hand will get me to the horizon in no time.

Matter settled.

[purplepoppy]

I don't think it's brake checking it's more about telling someone who's tailgating you to get off your arse and stop trying to intimidate you. If you're driving so close you can't stop in time then you're the one in the wrong.
I knew one guy who was tailgate up close for miles so when he came to a railway crossing he slammed on his brakes the second he crossed trapping the other guy on the line. Calmly got out his car, claimed his engine had seized then pointed to a sign saying £2000 fine for stopping on crossing.

[SaoirseS]

I used to think the area where I live had the most tailgaters, but it seems everywhere I go people follow too closely. I've turned flashers on hoping the driver behind me would get the message to back off, but never brake checked anyone. There are just too many hotheads behind the wheel to take the chance of a roadside road rage incident. I've pulled off the road to let the super aggressive ones by just because I'd rather have them in front of me than behind me.

[OlderAndWiser]

It is the most effective way of expressing hostility towards the other driver.

[Chazmatazz269]

The leading driver isn’t creating the unsafe condition, the tailgater is. One of the first rules we learn in driver training that we learn REPEATEDLY is to “follow from a safe distance”. It’s YOUR responsibility to do that. It’s not MY responsibility to “move out of the way”. THAT is the law in most states. Just because you’re a lead-footed, entitled asshole, that doesn’t mean you own the road. I’m willing to be a victim of your asinine behavior to be the one who fucks you up on the side of the road too. With my dash cam footage, i’ll do just that AND successfully sue you for damages. What do i have to lose? Ell oh ell!

[AviatorTom]

The leading driver could be creating an unsafe condition, and could be violating the "slow-poke" rule that most states have now. If a car is driving in the fast lane, and there's a line of cars behind it, that car is legally required to move out of the way and let the following cars pass it. If it doesn't it may be ticketed for impeding traffic flow. The interesting part of this is that the entire line could be speeding, and the front car can still get a ticket for driving too slow and impeding traffic flow.

And the leading driver IS creating an unsafe condition by brake checking, which can cause the following car to hit it, or to brake hard and lose control.

[Anonymous]

I've done it when people were right up my ass on the highway. I don't hit the brakes hard, just a little tap and then speed up again to prevent any actual crash, just enough to scare them into backing off or overtaking me. That's when it annoys me the most, when they could just overtake me if they wanna go faster.

[AviatorTom]

You do realize your little tap can cause them to panic brake and lose control, possibly hitting other cars... and you would be at fault.

[Opinion Owner]

Maybe, although that has never happened. Whenever I’ve done this I did it so quickly that I barely even slowed down, all they saw was the break lights flash real quick. Not like the people in this video here breaking hard enough to actually slow down. These guys are putting their feet right down on the brakes, don’t need to do that to make the lights flash red for a split second.

[MuddyMole]

Because they know it'll piss them off - particularly if it's an HGV driver with 18 gears, who now has to go back to first gear and start again. It's usually as some kind of punishment for something that happened early (someone driving slowly, or cutting them up, or whatever).

[MrsTurkleton]

I was wondering this they other day..

Some people enjoy acting like morons because they thinks it’s clever.

There are people who want an insurance pay out, which is why dash cams are so important

[KrakenAttackin]

@mrsturkleton. Many of these brake checks are just blind rage, "how dare you think at me" type of shit.

[DryGermanGuy]

I have never seen this on German streets. Not to say it doesn't happen at all, just with the speeds many people are driving that would be insanely dangerous.

[Bklynbadboy12]

Cause there assholes that is the fastest way to get rear-ended and in New York City its illegal that why I brought the front facing camera so I can have there dumb asses prosecuted

[AviatorTom]

It's not just illegal in NYC. It's considered dangerous and reckless driving and it's illegal everywhere.

[Bklynbadboy12]

I agree

[qwert1234]

Because they (break checkers) suck. Something went loose in their brains and then they thought "it's a good day to try and cause an accident today".

[bolverk]

In the UK the 'BRAKE CHECK' routine is usually part of a 'Crash for Cash' insurance scam where the driver vehicle in front is intentionally trying to cause a collision so they can make fraudulent claims usually as part of a gang.

[Likes2drive]

They are just idiots and don’t care, they think if you hit them that they will get insurance money but most trucks have cameras in them now. Instead of doing that they should just change lanes if the guy is on there bumper like that

[Mangospacho]

They’re just out looking for a settlement. Before dashcams, it was hard to prove but brake checking is illegal and if you have video proof of it, you can get the brake checker charged with the accident.

[spartan55]

About as stupid a stunt as you can pull on the road.

[WindAtMyBack]

I've spent large amounts of time out on the highway. I've brake checked many times, and will continue to do so. If some asshole is tailgating me they are going to get brake checked to get them to back off. It always works.

[KrakenAttackin]

Brake checking is idiotic. I hadn't considered the insurance fraud aspect, but almost every commercial vehicle has a dash cam and many cars do these days.

[HighValue]

They usually do it because the person behind them was tailgating, which is actually the MOST dangerous thing that drivers commonly do that leads to collisions.

[AviatorTom]

Tailgating is NOT the most dangerous thing that leads to collisions. That includes distracted driving, changing lanes without checking or indicating, running red lights, and driving in someone's blind spot. I understand people don't like tailgaters, and the best way to change that is to move out of the way and let them pass you.

[KrakenAttackin]

@AviatorTom. Agreed.

[TroyDT]

Brake checkers and tailgaters both suck and should be banned from the roadways.

[exitseven]

Yes, if somebody was riding my rear bumper some times I would give them a brake job.

[AviatorTom]

Why? Do you want them to hit you?

[exitseven]

Nope., just wanted them to get off my butt. True story- once this gut on a motorcycle was riding my ass. i was driving my 1980 Scout. He was really making me angry. Suddenly I saw a two foot piece of 4X4 in the road. I ran over it putting it between my wheels. I looked in the rear view to watch the mtorcycle hit it and the guy went flying. That really made my day.

[qwert1234]

Ah, so you want to see people that annoys you to get hurt?
Ok hurt may be a strong word.. Suffer then?

[exitseven]

@qwert1234 RE Update: I usually go quite a bit over thes peed limit. Anyone riding my bumper is driving at a unsafe rate of speed.

[KrakenAttackin]

The worst I have done to tailgaters is to drift in my lane toward a big pothole. Tailgaters always follow exactly in formation with the car in front. At the last minute I will swerve and let their car hit the massive pothole. Adios front end and tire.

[exitseven]

@KrakenAttackin nice. I will keep that one in mind.

[AimeeKyle]

So anyone driving faster than you prescribed speed is unsafe?

[qwert1234]

@exitseven ok fair is fair, but why brake check? Can't you just stay the course and let them be?
Sorry, I am just trying to understand the urge.

[NathanDavis]

they're just road Karens...