It is well known that speeding can cause car accidents. It does this in numerous ways. For example, a person who is driving at an excessive speed and who encounters a sharp corner may lose control and roll the vehicle off of the road. Another driver who is just slightly going over the speed limit may simply not have enough reaction time when traffic stops ahead of them, leading to a rear-end accident.
But it’s not just speeding that is the issue. In many ways, the real problem is the speed difference between two vehicles. This is why driving too far under the speed limit can also be problematic, and that’s why you’ll find that some roads have minimum speed limits that drivers have to adhere to.
What’s wrong with driving slowly?
Many people who drive slowly think that they’re being safe. Maybe they’re nervous. Maybe they’ve been in a car accident before. They believe that slowing down is a way to limit injuries and reduce the odds of crash. Unlike a speeding driver, who knows that they are being at least somewhat reckless, a slow driver may honestly believe that what they’re doing is safe.
But driving too slowly forces other traffic to react to you. You could be re-ended by a driver who doesn’t realize you’re not also driving with the flow of traffic. Even if you don’t get rear-ended, if you’re on an interstate, you force other vehicles to slow down, change lanes and pass you. This can create traffic backups and can even lead to road rage. In all of these ways, a slow driver could be just as influential in causing a crash as a speeding driver.
Did someone else hit your vehicle?
There are many myths about how to drive safely, and one is that it is always safer to drive slower. As you can see, it is actually safest to move with the flow of traffic whenever you can.
But even if you drive perfectly at the speed limit and stay with the flow of traffic at all times, someone else can make a mistake that causes a crash. If they hit your vehicle and you suffer injuries, you need to know how to seek financial compensation.