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Driving Too Slowly
Contrary to Section 132 of the Highway Traffic Act
Can a Driver Be Charged For Driving Too Slow?
It Is Actually Possible to Get a Traffic Ticket For Driving Too Slowly Whereas Doing So Is An Offence Contrary to the Highway Traffic Act. Driving Too Slowly Also Creates a Dangerous Safety Hazard For Others Traveling At Normal Speeds.
Understanding the Charge of Driving Too Slowly Including the Applicable Penalties
It seems counterintuitive that driving too slowly may be unlawful, especially whereas stories of tragic accidents much more commonly involve incidents caused by excessive speed; however, similar to driving at an excessive rate of speed, driving unnecessarily slowly can also be dangerous. Accordingly, while defensive driving is always encouraged, driving unnecessarily slowly, and thereby becoming an unexpected obstacle to other traffic, or possibly frustrating other drivers so significantly as to cause others to act erratically, can pose significant danger.
The Law
A driver who is driving too slowly may be charged with violating section 132 of the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8 whereas such states:
132 (1) No motor vehicle shall be driven on a highway at such a slow rate of speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic thereon except when the slow rate of speed is necessary for safe operation having regard to all the circumstances.
Interestingly, violation of section 132 of the Highway Traffic Act was recently referenced as an unlawful means within the civil law case of Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association v. Boak, 2022 ONSC 1001, involving the tort of intentional inference in economic relations as arising from rolling roadblocks or blockades.
Summary Comment
Similar to driving too fast, driving too slowly can also pose risks to others using the roadway whereas when traffic moving at a normal speed comes upon a vehicle travelling unexpectedly slow and dangerous situation exists. While a charge of driving too slowly is likely uncommon, the law provides for the possibility of such a charge.
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