Although I haven’t seen a “Minimum Speed Limit” sign in my neck of the woods in quite some time, driving under the speed limit or not with the flow of traffic is currently the leading cause for motor vehicle collisions. As we all know, it is also a trigger for road rage. The general rule is that you must drive with the flow of traffic as to not impede or block the normal, reasonable movement of traffic. While it is true that speeding causes more high-impact crashes, resulting in more fatalities, slow drivers cause more crashes than speeders do.
On a multi-lane road, you may be forced to pass on the right because someone is driving too slowly in the passing lane. And disorganization and confusion can definitely lead to traffic accidents. Or, if the slow driver is ahead of you, over a hill or around a curve and you are approaching from behind at a higher speed, you may have to hit your brakes which could lead to a chain reaction of braking. Or, likely a chain of rear-end collisions and, if you are lucky enough to avoid it, at the very least it will certainly lead to road rage.
Of course we all assume that the driver is either a new driver or an elderly driver. But, oftentimes, it is simply a distracted driver. According to Carnegie Mellon research cited by distraction.gov, driving while using a cell phone can reduce driving focus by 37 percent. Anyone can drive too slowly at any given time, but keeping up with the flow of traffic and following the rules of the road will undoubtedly get you to your destination safely.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Slow Drivers – Comedy Defensive Driving School