- Always drive according to posted speed limit and certain road conditions.Road Flooded image by WeatherPhoto from Fotolia.com
According to Uniform Vehicle Code 11-801, the basic speed law states "no person shall drive a vehicle greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing." This means, even though a driver is not exceeding the speed limit posted, he can still receive a ticket for speeding if the weather or present road conditions does not permit the speed. - Statutory speed limits set speed limits for certain areas in the community.End School Zone sign image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
Statutory speed limits are laws which establish maximum speed limits for roads in certain areas. The statutory speed limit always applies unless there is a posted speed limit sign that indicates otherwise. If the statutory speed limit in your area is widely known to typically be 25 mph in a school zone, yet the posted speed limit sign states 30 mph, you can drive 30 mph. - Driving too slow can also result in a traffic ticket.traffic jam anger image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
According to the Uniform Vehicle Code 11-805, the minimum speed law states "no person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic." Many states provide that different vehicles may have different speed limits depending on the time of the day and the location. Drivers can typically find statutory speed laws on state highways, in school zones or in business districts. - A driver can contest the ticket if he was driving under the posted speed limit.police car up close image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com
A person breaks the basic speed law when he drives too recklessly for the present road conditions, even if he is driving under the maximum speed limit posted. Because he will be issued a ticket at the officer's discretion, the driver can argue the validity of the ticket in court. If the person was driving over the speed limit under risky conditions such as weather or road construction, he will have a harder time arguing the traffic ticket if the officer shows up in court. - The basic speed law forces drivers to use common sense.truck speeding down the street image by Larry Roberg from Fotolia.com
The basic speed law is designed to force drivers to use common sense when driving under certain conditions. Even though the posted speed sign may state 50 mph, if it is raining or there are road obstacles making it too dangerous to drive 50 mph, a police officer may pull someone over if they do not slow down to deal with such hazards.
previous post
next post