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Nadine Diaz

Attorney Nadine Diaz is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer by The Florida Bar with over 30 years of experience representing injured victims throughout Florida. She focuses on personal injury and wrongful death litigation and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

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The legal information presented on this page reflects the professional oversight of Attorney Nadine Diaz and the attorneys at Darrigo & Diaz Personal Injury Attorneys. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.

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At Darrigo & Diaz Personal Injury Attorneys, we strive to ensure the information presented here is timely and accurate. For legal guidance specific to your individual case, please contact our firm directly. Nothing in this article should be interpreted as legal advice.

5 Things You Need to Do If You Are Being Followed

There is nothing more terrifying than realizing someone is following you. If you’re driving and believe you are being followed, here are the 5 important things you need to know to get away safely.

How do you know if someone is following you?

Have you ever had the feeling that someone is following you? Try using these techniques to determine if you are really being followed.  

1. If you’re in the city, make 4 right turns. If the person is still driving behind you after you’ve made 4 right turns, it’s likely that you are being followed.
2. If you’re on the interstate, exit and immediately get back on. If the person stays with you after you exit and return to the interstate, you are likely being followed.
3. If you’re in the city or on the interstate, change your pace. Another way to tell if someone is following you is to slow down to 10-15 mph under the speed limit for 5 minutes. If the person also slows down and doesn’t pass you, you are likely being followed.

Being followed? Here’s what you need to do

Once you confirm that you are being followed, here’s what you need to do:

1. Stay calm and be alert. Do not panic and slam on the gas to get away. Instead, remain calm and keep driving safely. Make it a point to be extra observant of your surroundings.
2. Don’t “show that you know”. Do not signal to your follower that you know, meaning do not wave to them or stare at them through your side mirror. Doing so could escalate the situation. If you remain calm, you will remain in control.
3. Never drive home. We repeat, never drive home! In many instances, the person following you is trying to find out where you live or is waiting for you to pull into a place that is not populated. Do not lead them to your home. In fact, start driving in the opposite direction if possible.
4. Call the police or go to the nearest station. Call the police or drive to the nearest station if you feel like you are in danger. You can assess your danger level by how closely the person is following you. If you are unsure, call anyways. Law enforcement will instruct you on what to do next.
5. Drive to a crowded, well-lit place. If you don’t call the police or cannot drive to the nearest station, the next best thing you can do is drive to a crowded, well-lit place. Park close to the building entrance, hurry inside, and inform an employee that you are being followed.

How to prevent someone from following you

Help keep yourself safe by never sharing your location on social media. Disable your location services in your social media apps, and if you want to post your location, wait to do so after you have left.

Do your part, #DDTellAFriend

Help keep your friends and family safe by sharing these safety tips. As part of our new #DDTellAFriend safety campaign, Darrigo & Diaz Personal Injury Attorneys will be sharing quick tips to educate people on everyday dangers and lesser-known safety tips.

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