Motorists who drive too slowly without considering other road users may be contributing to collisions and casualties, an Irish road safety officer (RSO) has claimed.
Noel Gibbons said: “Slow drivers may unknowingly contribute to other motorists making sometimes fatal overtaking manoeuvres. This can be prevented by regularly checking your mirrors and being aware of what is behind your vehicle.”
Mr Gibbons emphasises that it is speeding motorists who cause deaths, but highlights the affect that slow moving vehicles can have on other road users.
He added: “What they should endeavour to do is drive at the speed appropriate to the conditions; if they’re not comfortable in doing that, we’re not asking them to speed up, we’re asking them to give way to following vehicles.
“They must be aware of the tail of vehicles behind them and by ignoring that, they’re actually driving without due care and attention. The premise is simple, reduce the need to overtake, and there will be less overtaking collisions.”
For more information contact Noel Gibbons on 0877870055.
If you cannot reach the speed limit in your driving test, you WILL fail. So why is it ok once people have passed for them to hold up the flow of traffic by being inconsiderate?
Lee, portsmouth
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I don’t think that anyone is saying that someone’s journey is more important than another persons, we all have our reasons for being on the road and each will be as valid as the next.
We also have the individual right to choose at whatever speed we wish, subject to road conditions and NSL, and in most cases that is the general speed that others travel at near or up to the NSL.
However from time to time we can come across a driver who will travel slower than the norm, the norm being the notional speed understood for that road, and under those circumstances I would argue for patience and understanding until such time as one can overtake in safety
There are however those who would, by their actions, be guilty of driving without reasonable consideration. Those who persist in unreasonable behaviour on our roads such as the driver in the middle lane of the motorway who persists in driving in such a manner rather than to easily pull into the inside lane, thus allowing other traffic to travel unhindered.
bob craven Lancs
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So with road safety ‘experts’ declaring driving is a priviledge and not a right, and therefore let’s concentrate on those new drivers who believe it is a right, is now being contradicted by one person’s journey being more important than another?
Mrs Green, Northants
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Slow moving vehicles can cause tailbacks and compression as stated by Adam, particularly on motorways.
This unfortunately leads to tailgating and in poor weather conditions or indeed higher speeds can have a catastrophic effect in the event of an accident. Most drivers prefer to drive unhindered and at their own speed, that may not be much faster than the vehicle in front which is holding them up and therefore there is sometimes a frustration which causes inappropriate overtaking or other reckless acts of driving.
Rather than just trying to alter the actions of the slower drivers, maybe it should be an effort also to educate the driver behind also to accept a temporary slow down and obey the two second rule? One thing that is certain is that the police will not be out there in a position to do anything about it.
bob Craven Lancs
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Driving carefully and slowly on some routes can definitely be beneficial to road safety. The Highway Code states “The speed limit is the absolute maximum and does not mean its safe to drive at that speed irrespective of conditions”.
However, motorway driving presents a different scenario entirely. HGVs overtaking slower moving vehicles, will force other traffic out into lane 3, causing potential conflict while causing compression waves of breaking vehicles. The slower moving vehicle on the motorway might not be involved in a collision; they will contribute to the conditions which might cause an incident further behind them.
Adam, Hants
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When roads other than the 5 main veins in the country are filled with blind corners, uneven surfaces, widths that do not (under ANY circumstance) accommodate both a car and a lorry or bus, and a large percentage of drivers who have never passed an actual licensing test… well, slow drivers just might be safer drivers! Note: (I just completed 3 weeks of driving all over Ireland and, although not part of the “slow driving group” referenced here was very sympathetic to them!)
Deana, USA
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