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How road safety is threatened by slow drivers

On Behalf of | Apr 10, 2020 | car accidents

Slow drivers are not an unusual sight on the highways of Indiana. In this state, those in the left-hand lane who go well below the speed limit and hinder traffic may be pulled over and handed a ticket. It makes sense, considering what a threat these drivers can be to road safety.

Yet other drivers may do wrong, too, by tailgating and passing the slow drivers too impatiently. This is why safety advocates recommend three steps to those who are faced with a slow driver in front of them. First, wait a minute to see if the slow driver will move out of the way. Second, flash the headlights. Third, honk the horn.

A significant portion of slow drivers are distracted by their phones. According to the National Safety Council, cell phones decrease parietal lobe activity by 37%. This part of the brain is crucial to making judgments based on sense perception.

Other factors may play a role in slow driving. For example, the driver may be a tourist soaking in the sights or a newly licensed driver nervous about going fast. Seniors may also travel slow for understandable reasons. For example, worsening vision can prevent one from seeing speed limits clearly, or arthritis may keep their foot from stepping more firmly on the accelerator.

Car accidents caused by slow motorists or aggressive drivers can form the basis for a personal injury claim. To be eligible for compensation, victims must be deemed 50% or less at fault, according to Indiana’s modified comparative fault rule. To see how their case might fare, a victim may have a lawyer evaluate it. If the case is strong, the lawyer may go ahead and negotiate on the client’s behalf for a settlement. If the auto insurance companies refuse to pay, litigation is a possibility.