What Are the Dangers of Driving Too Slowly?
When we hear about dangerous driving behaviors, one of the most common ones is speeding. It reduces the driver’s ability to control their vehicle and they have much less time to respond to situations on the road. But what you may not know is the other side of this. Driving too slowly for the road is also a risk to everyone. It disrupts the flow of traffic and can still lead to accidents and injuries.
What Happens When Someone Drives Too Slowly?
It’s one of the most annoying situations when you’re caught behind a slow driver. Everyone has a schedule that they’re trying to stick to and dealing with someone who won’t drive at the speed limit adds more frustration into the mix. This makes the people around the slow driver progressively more angry, which increases the risk of an accident occurring.
Some of the angry drivers may be subject to road rage. When people experience road rage, their focus turns away from driving safely. They want to get back at the driver that’s causing their anger. This could mean trying to cut the person off or aggressively tailgating them. Some may try to shout from their window. If traffic slows to a stop, the person may exit their vehicle and try to confront the slow driver. The person exhibiting road rage could put themselves and others at risk.
There’s also the situation of when the slow driver is in the left lane. Since the left lane is meant for passing traffic, they’re disrupting the entire roadway and they’re preventing people from passing correctly. This could lead to people passing on the right, which can be dangerous. This is tricky enough on a regular two lane highway, but when multiple lanes are in play, passing on the right can lead to serious accidents.
When it comes to slow driving, there are certain groups of people you may associate the action with. Older people who have trouble with sight or cannot push down the gas pedal and keep it there may exhibit slow driving behaviors. New drivers who aren’t quite comfortable with what they’re doing may also drive at a considerably slow pace.
However, just because they’re a slow driver doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive recklessly around them. It’s also likely that they’re not an older driver or a newly licensed driver at all. There are plenty of other reasons why someone would drive too slowly and unfortunately these reasons are often the causes of car accidents.
Many people slow down when they’re checking their phone while driving. Distracted driving is a major concern that causes many accidents. A slow driver may not be looking ahead of them at all and could be more focused on their cell phone. This is another reason why driving aggressively around them is not a safe idea—they may have no idea that you’re there.
People who don’t know where they’re going often drive more slowly. They’re trying to give themselves time to figure out traffic and their route. While it’s easy to get frustrated with people who don’t know where they’re going, this is a common occurrence and you may want to be prepared for it. Honking your horn at them or trying to intimidate them will only make them more nervous, which could lead to reckless decisions because they don’t want to make more people angry.
People will always gawk at things while they’re driving. It could be scenery or it could be as they’re passing by an accident. When they’re busy looking at what’s interesting them, they’ll slow down and not focus on getting through the area.
Get in Touch with Corban Gunn, Attorney at Law
No matter the reason, drivers are expected to drive the speed limit and practice safe driving behaviors. If you’ve been in a situation where another driver hurt you because they didn’t do what they were supposed to, then you can get justice for what you’ve been through. We’ll do everything possible to get you a successful settlement. Then, you can work on recovering and getting your life back to normal.
Give us a call today. We’ll set up an initial consultation that’s obligation free and you can take the first steps of your legal journey.
