Driving more slowly is often seen as the right thing to do on the road. It’s something that will be drummed into you by your driving instructor if you have a heavy right foot. Instead, you should always drive at a speed appropriate to the speed limit – and the prevailing road type and conditions.

However, the latest data from the Department of Transport reveals that driving too slowly is dangerous as well. Here’s how the figures break down:

  • Over the past 10 years, 1,568 people were injured or killed in 1,090 road crashes with the police stating that slow speed contributed to the accidents.
  • 18 of the crashes were directly linked to slow driving leaving 19 dead while another 281 crashes resulted in 310 victims left with severe injuries – some life-changing.

“Driving too slowly can be just as dangerous as speeding,” the AA told to the Daily Mail, as being a ‘slow coach’ can cause other drivers to make rash decisions such as trying to overtake when they shouldn’t, tailgating and even bouts of road rage. It also causes congestion, leading to delayed journeys and greater pollution.

Speed up

To underline just how serious the issue is, the police have revealed examples of dangerously slow driving:

  • In 2022, a driver in his 80s was stopped by police after being caught driving 10mph on a main A-road. He subsequently failed an eye test and had his licence seized.
  • In 2020, police tweeted about pulling over a driver who had been doing between 40-50mph on the M1 motorway, “causing mayhem, forcing traffic to take evasive action. Perplexed look when explaining the concept of lane-hogging.” The driver was done for driving without due care and attention.

The potential penalty for being stopped for slow driving is £100 and three points on your licence. In extreme cases – such as causing or contributing to a crash – you could end up in court and have your driving licence taken away from you.

Speed & driving test

Driving over the speed limit during your test is an obvious no-no, but going too slowly could see you receive a minor fault – or even lead to a test fail.

Remember, instructors want to see that you can drive safely and confidently – and a candidate who is too timid to drive at an appropriate speed represents a potential risk.

If you feel nervous about speed, do tell your instructor and they can help build your confidence through, for example, increasing the speeds you drive at over time and taking you on to faster roads when there is less traffic about.

Know Your Code

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Main image by Diana.grytsku on Freepik