Dangers of Driving Slow – Driving Instructors Basingstoke

In a 2018 poll, the car manufacturer Hyundai found the 7th most common reason for people to swear whilst driving is when someone driving in front of them is moving too slowly. Famously, the president of AA, Edmund King, once said that ‘driving like a snail can be as dangerous as driving like a cheetah.’ However, it’s notable that in the UK, including Basingstoke, there are no blanket minimum speed limits. Despite this, the police are permitted to pull a driver over if they believe they are driving dangerously slow and warn them of the potential hazards the low speeds might cause. In some extremes, drivers have been charged with careless driving because their slow speeds were deemed too hazardous. It was even proposed in 2011 that there should be a minimum speed limit of 60mph on motorways, but the petition for it failed due to a lack of interest. Not only can slow drivers increase the risk of certain accidents, but if you happen to crash into a slow driver’s rear, ‘it is most likely that insurers will see it as your fault’, according to Director of Policy and Research at IAM Roadsmart, Neil Greig. So, it’s fair to say that driving well below the speed limit can be costly as well as dangerous. It is therefore imperative that driving instructors teach their pupil’s the risks and potential financial cost associated with driving at a snail’s pace, but should also instil them with a sense of confidence so that they can be certain where it is appropriate speed up and slow down.