NOT SO FAST! DRIVING SLOW CAN GET YOU IN TROUBLE.
Have you ever found yourself behind a car that is going at least 10 miles under the speed limit? We all have and we have all felt the frustration build as we attempt to change lanes to go around. Has the thought ever crossed your mind that it should be illegal to drive that slowly?
Well, it is! In fact every state has a law on the books that says something like this: “A person shall not drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed so as to impede or block the normal and reasonable forward movement of traffic.” Texas Transportation Code –Section 545.363, Minimum Speed Regulations, states just this, but adds “except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.”
But are tickets really issued for this behavior? Absolutely! And the ticket counts the same as any other driving violation, with an impact on your driving record and insurance.
These laws do change from state to state however. In some states they are allowed to set a minimum speed limit on highways and will ticket you for going under that limit. Plus, there are laws on the books that dictate that you must be in the far right lane to go slower than the flow of traffic.
A U.S. government researcher, David Solomon, found in studies that those drivers going the median speed of all traffic had the lowest risk of collision. Those that were going at speeds below the average traffic flow had a sharp increase in crash risk.
In 2010, The Texas Highway Patrol wrote 23 tickets for “a speed under the minimum”. Doesn’t sound like a lot but it still happens. So next time you see that one driver who has to block up the lane by driving 10 miles under the limit, just remember that they will be penalized if caught and to be more cautious and aware about getting around them.
And remember that anytime you need a refresher course on driving safety in Texas just sign in to WirelessDefensiveDriving.com. We are always here for you!
