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Many people have experienced someone getting super close to their car while driving on the road and it can make someone feel nervous or even angry.
If someone is trailing a driver super close to their car bumper, it can make them slow down by pumping their breaks, which is called "brake checking," to send a message to the car behind them to back off or slow down. Did you ever wonder if doing this action was legal? Well, it actually can be a punishable offense under the California Vehicle Code 22400(a), which says that:
“No person shall drive upon a highway at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic unless the reduced speed is necessary for safe operation, because of a grade, or in compliance with law.”
Brake checking as well as tailgating is actually a form of aggressive driving because they are seen as acts that are done deliberately with bad intention or disregard for the safety of others, aka road rage. The fines for brake checking can vary in California. For more information, click here.