Driving Too Slow can Cause Accidents Too

Bruce Guenter

Even if you don’t know about the law for travelling in the leftmost lane of the freeway, a ticket for breaking that law could cost you big time. Texas law requires slower drivers to move to the right to let faster moving traffic pass on the left.

Law enforcement officers say that many people don’t seem to know about this law and so they are starting a public awareness campaign. Part of that campaign to make drivers more aware is to pull over cars that won’t move over so that faster moving traffic can pass them safely.

Roxanne Cates said she has always driven in the left lane of traffic, no matter what people did to her on Houston-area roads.

Dpt. Constable Jeff Buchanan said, “You’ve got many lanes you can ride in. So if somebody is coming up behind and they are going faster than you, just need to move over,”

Assistant District Attorney Warren Diepraam feels that it is this lack of awareness that is behind the increase in the number of incidents involving road rage. “Just anecdotally, by looking at a bunch of incidents of road rage, this is probably one of the top reasons for road rage in our area—is people who clog the left lane,” he said .

Officers are mostly issuing warning tickets to those who are pulled over. However, a ticket issued for impeding traffic is considered a Class C Misdemeanor with fines totaling up to $500.

Slow moving vehicles can pose nearly as much of a hazard on roadways and highways as drivers who travel at excessive speeds. In spite of being cautious, driving too slow can actually increase the likelihood of a serious accident. Drivers who do like to go slower can avoid this by following these tips:

Minimum speed limits are posted on all State and Interstate roadways and should be obeyed.
When driving at a slower speed than the general flow of traffic, go for the slower, right lanes.
If the minimum posted speed limit or slower lanes still seem to fast, consider taking side streets that tend to have lower speed limits than freeways, highways and interstates. Also consider having a family member drive instead or opt for public transportation.
If someone is behind you and signals you by flashing their headlights, chances are they want you to move over to the right so that they can pass you. Signal and let them pass as soon as you are able to do so.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, or have suffered a personal injury, give our offices a call. You could be entitled to compensation for your injuries Our attorneys have years of experience in the Houston area courts in personal injury and accident cases.