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Is It Against The Law To Drive Slower Than The Speed Limit?
Most people know that driving above the speed limit increases your chance of being in an accident and puts lives at risk. It also makes the roads less safe. But did you know that driving slow can also be risky? Yes! Slow driving can cause other drivers to swerve or slam their brakes too hard. This could lead to a chain reaction and a rear-end collision with the vehicle in front. It can further lead to congestion and road rage.
How Slow Can You Drive Safely?
It all depends on the situation. This is because there is no federal speed limit law. Each state can set its own speed limit. Also, the type of road, the traffic flow, and even the weather conditions are factors that determine the safe speed limit. Highway patrol officers may pull you over if you drive at an excessively slow or fast speed if you are obstructing traffic flow or putting other drivers at risk.
It may not matter if you are driving ten mph slower than the posted speed limit on a highway that is uncrowded, as there is a low chance of you causing congestion on the road. But driving ten miles under the speed limit in a city during rush hours can create issues. Most state laws don’t specify how low you can go below the posted speed limit. They leave it up to the judgment of the highway patrol officer. However, it is illegal for a driver to drive at a rate that causes traffic flow to slow down.
Driving slowly on the highway can increase your chances of getting into an accident. If we see a slower vehicle, we need to adjust quickly. This could lead to an accident if it is not done properly.
Is it illegal to drive slower than the posted speed limit? If you have compelling reasons to, it is not against the law. Most state laws regarding this topic allow for common sense exceptions such as driving under the speed limit because of hazardous road conditions, slowing down in an accident, or driving slower due to traffic congestion.
If you feel safe, don’t let other drivers pressure you into speeding. You can drive 30 miles an hour in ice storms, even though it is illegal to exceed 70 mph.
These are some rules that you should follow – and some that you should use to drive safely.
➤ When driving on a 2-lane highway, you should stay in the right lane except when passing other vehicles or trying to exit through the left lane.
➤ When driving on a motorway with three or more lanes, you should stay in the right and middle lanes. Use the left lane to exit alone.
➤ If you are in the passing lane and see that a faster vehicle is approaching, you should move to the right as soon as possible.
➤ No matter whatever the speed at which you drive, do not obstruct the traffic flow.
➤ Get to know about the speed restrictions in your state.
To Summarize:
Driving below the speed limit has not been as controversial as speeding, but this is beginning to change. People are increasingly asking how slowly you can go below the speed limit. A majority of states have minimum speed limits. However, it is up to the highway patrols to decide on a case-by-case basis. Driving at a high or below the speed limit can be dangerous, but it always depends on the road conditions at that particular time.