The number of casualties as a result of crashes caused by slow drivers increased by nearly a third in 2017.
Data from the Department for Transport demonstrated that 175 people were injured and two people killed in the UK during 2017 as a result of road incidents caused by slow drivers, a 31% increase from 2016.
Minimum speeds are rare on UK roads, but do exist in some high-risk locations such as tunnels. They are displayed with a round blue sign with a white number.
Edmund King, AA President, warned, “driving like a snail can be as dangerous as driving like a cheetah”.
Too many motorway users hog the middle lane and drive “far below the speed limit” which can lead to undertaking, tailgating, congestion and road rage, he said.
A DfT (Department for Transport) spokesperson said, “Careless driving including driving too slowly is an offence and anyone caught faces prosecution.”
Indeed, driving too slowly on any road can result in the motorist being penalised for careless driving, which normally carries a £100 fine and three points on a licence. If a case goes to court the maximum penalty is £5,000, up to nine points on a licence and disqualification from driving.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) Roadsmart’s director of policy and research, Neil Greg, said, “Slow drivers are just one extra hazard that any good driver must be able to deal with. By using the key advanced driving skills of observation, anticipation and patience, anyone should be able to cope with a hesitant or tardy person on the road.”
Have a look at what it says at item number 20 on the Driving Test Report about speed and hesitation. An examiner on test wants to see a sensible balance between being safe and getting a move on and the trick is to know which one’s appropriate at any given time.
Use of speed and timing is something I focus on a lot during lessons. If you would like me to help you with this then book online below;