What is the safest action if a driver looks like they will pull out in front of you?

The safest action when another driver appears likely to pull out in front of you is to slow down or stop and use your horn. This approach allows you to create more time and space between your vehicle and the other driver, reducing the potential for a collision. By slowing down or coming to a complete stop, you give yourself an opportunity to reassess the situation and react if necessary. Using the horn acts as a warning signal, alerting the other driver to your presence and potentially prompting them to pause or reconsider their maneuver.

Other approaches may seem tempting but can be riskier. Quickly changing lanes could lead to losing control of the vehicle or encountering another obstacle or vehicle in the adjacent lane. Maintaining speed to pass them quickly might increase the likelihood of an accident if the other driver misjudges your speed. Driving on the shoulder is generally unsafe and could endanger pedestrians or other road users while creating an unpredictable scenario for all involved. Thus, slowing down and using your horn is the most prudent and defensive driving strategy in this situation.