Although it’s far more common to be ticketed for speeding, can you get a ticket for driving too slowly? Seems an interesting topic to have a discussion, right?Â
Well, well, well! We have a speed demon who wants to slow down a bit! Driving too slow might be a safe option, but you might be surprised to learn you can get a ticket. And yes, it’s true in real life, not just in movies and TV shows.
It sounds strange because every street has signs that say how fast you can go, but we never see signs that say how slow you can. Is it against the law to drive too slowly? Can you get a ticket for driving too slowly? The answer is, surprisingly, yes!
In the movie “Zootopia,” the sloth DMV workers famously move at a snail’s pace, causing frustration for the protagonist, Officer Judy Hopps, who needs to get something done quickly. While it’s all played for laughs in the movie, driving too slowly in real life can be just as frustrating for other drivers on the road.
Driving Slow: Get Ready for the following Tickets
There’s nothing wrong with leisurely driving, but remember, other drivers may be in a hurry, and all drivers must keep up with the traffic flow. Because of this, you can get a ticket for driving too slowly.
If you drive too slowly, you will be given tickets for the following violations: going slow on the left lane, impeding traffic, and failing to use roadside turnouts.
The Tortoise and Traffic: Driving Too Slowly in the Fast Lane
Most drivers know that when more than one lane goes in the same direction, the far left lane is for passing and faster traffic, and the right lanes are for slower traffic. But this isn’t just a common sense thing to do—it’s the law.
Most state laws also have exceptions for cars getting ready to turn left off the highway.
Some ways to dispute this kind of driving-too-fast ticket are:
- That you were driving at the speed limit shown on the road
- You were getting ready to turn left.
- You were passing even slower-moving traffic to the left and ready to return to the slow lane as soon as it was safe.Â
- Your speed, even though it was below the limit, was safe for the conditions at the time.
It comes down to whether or not you were driving too slowly in the left lane or had a good reason to.
Slow and Steady Doesn’t Always Win the Race
“Impeding traffic” is like driving too slowly in the left lane. The difference is that you can get a ticket for slowing down traffic even if you drive in the right lane or on the road with only one lane.
A traffic ticket for blocking traffic can be disputed, like a ticket for driving too slowly in the fast lane. You’ll need to show that you were either going the speed limit or that you were going slower than the limit because it was safe to do so.
Stuck in Traffic? Don’t Be That Driver
If you’re moving too slowly and there are five or more cars behind you, you could get a ticket for not using a roadside turnout. If you can’t go faster, pull to the next roadside turnout or a safe place to stop and let the cars behind you pass.
Even if you’ve been ticketed for slow driving, we won’t slow you down with unfair rates. We at Way.com believe in giving you a fair shake, no matter how fast or slow you go.
Simple Take Away – Slow and Steady Gets a Ticket
There are traffic laws for a reason. Driving too slowly can be dangerous, especially on the highway, where people make decisions based on how smoothly traffic moves. If you don’t feel comfortable driving on the highway, take lessons or drive more to avoid dangerous situations and fines.
Your car insurance premiums could be affected if you receive a ticket for driving too slowly. Insurance companies consider traffic violations and citations a risk factor when calculating rates.
While the impact on your premiums may vary depending on the ticket’s severity and driving record, it’s important to remember that any traffic violation can increase your car insurance rates.
To learn more about how traffic violations affect your insurance premiums, it’s best to speak directly with your insurance provider.
Don’t just take our word for it. In the TV show “Seinfeld,” the character George Costanza gets a ticket for driving too slow. In the episode “The Parking Garage,” George and his friends wander around a parking garage trying to find their car. George decides to drive slowly to keep an eye out for the car but ends up causing a backup of cars behind him. Eventually, a police officer pulls him over and gives him a ticket for obstructing traffic.
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Driving too slow, even on TV and in movies, can get you in trouble. So if you’re going to hit the road, remember to keep a reasonable pace and watch out for other drivers. And if you get a ticket, remember the wise words of Officer Barbrady from “South Park”: “Move along, people, nothing to see here.”
