Can You Get A Ticket In Florida For Driving Too Slow?

The answer is YES!  In Florida as well as 44 other states, obstructing traffic in the left lane is against the law. Most states follow the Uniform Vehicle Code and require drivers to keep right if they are going slower than the usual, customary, normal or established speed of traffic, regardless of the speed limit.  Florida legislators amended the law, i.e., Florida Statute Section 316.081, in 2014 to make the left lane for passing, not cruising, unless there was congestion or an obstruction in the right lanes. Breaking said statute by “proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic” in the left lane or staying there when “the driver knows or reasonably should know that he or she is being overtaken in that lane from the rear by a motor vehicle traveling at a higher rate of speed” is a moving violation punishable by a fine and points on your license.

Further, pursuant to Section 316.081(3)-the left lane is for passing and not for driving slowly.

In addition, you may be violating Section 316.183(5), if you are driving too slowly in the left lane and not moving over for a car trying to pass.  Driving too slowly can increase the risks of causing car crashes, blocking vehicles from safely passing and creating a general safety risk on the roadway.  The purpose of this law is safety because it should aid in reducing traffic congestion and dangers caused by angry drivers stuck behind a slow driver who does not move over, thus preventing such issues as road rage, tailgating, rear-end collisions, and weaving in and out of lanes.

As expected, in Florida, you can get a traffic ticket for driving too fast as well as too slowly. On Florida highways like the Turnpike and I-95, the maximum speed is 70-mph unless otherwise posted.  If you are on a highway such as the Turnpike, you can be given a traffic ticket for driving too slowly.  If you drive slower than 50-mph on a Florida interstate (posted at 70-mph), you may be issued a traffic citation. Traveling on an interstate below 50-mph will slow down traffic and make it unsafe for other cars around you traveling at higher rates of speed. If traveling in a 65-mph zone, the minimum speed limit should be 40-mph.

HOWEVER, there are circumstances under which a driver can avoid being ticketed for going too slowly depending on the roadway and other specific conditions.

Some of these circumstances can legally justify a motorist driving slowly or impeding traffic. A few of the more common situations, which can provide a driver with a valid defense to a ticket for impeding traffic or driving slower than the minimum posted speed are poor weather conditions, road hazards and/or dense traffic/traffic jam. The foregoing is based on safety considerations.  Legally speaking, a person should not drive a motor vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonably necessary and prudent under the circumstances, conditions and actual and potential hazards then existing. Consequently, a person should control the speed of their vehicle as is necessary to avoid colliding with any object, person, vehicle or other conveyance on, entering or adjacent to the highway in compliance with legal requirements, and therefore, it is the duty of all persons to exercise reasonable care for the protection of others.

In Florida, you can be issued a ticket for not driving fast enough since it can cause accidents. Drivers and vehicles should travel within the posted speed limit and the flow of traffic around them to avoid blocking other vehicles traveling at normal, safe speeds.