It’s normal to hear people talking about speeding tickets and the fines that go with them, after all, if you violate the speed limit, you could put others at risk of harm. Did you know, though, that driving too slowly is also a hazard to yourself and others? If you drive too slowly, you could face a traffic violation, get points on your license, be fined and deal with consequences as well.
When you’re traveling in New York, you should move to a right-hand lane or lane dedicated to slow-moving vehicles. Failing to do this may slow the flow of traffic and could result in accusations of traveling too slowly, which is also a violation of the speed laws.
What does the prosecution have to prove to get a conviction?
If you’re accused of driving too slowly, the prosecution has to show that you were traveling below the normal speed of traffic while also obstructing traffic. Usually, an officer will only cite you for traveling too slowly if you were traveling at a slow speed, obstructing traffic, and had no safety issue leading to slower movement.
According to one former New York State Trooper, driving 10 or 15 miles per hour under the speed limit may impede traffic. If you’re impeding traffic in that way, then you’re creating a danger and hazard. If you cause dangerous traffic conditions, then you could be ticketed and face fines, points on your license and other penalties.
How quickly will you face a traffic stop if you’re driving too slowly?
Normally, if you’re in the left lane and are not passing, you could get a ticket. Similarly, if there are many vehicles behind you and you’re not moving over to get out of the way when it’s safe to do so, then an officer may pull you over and ticket you for unsafe driving behaviors.
Though this doesn’t seem like as serious of an offense, it can lead to crashes and dangerous conditions on the roads. There are defenses to these accusations, though, so those who are accused of driving too slowly should look into their options for building a defense.
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