Bizarre motoring rule that could land you with three points for simply driving too slow

Speed limits are imposed on our roads give the top speed which drivers should travel at, but there are also restrictions for going too slow and this could result in drivers gaining a fine or penalty

A little known driving rule could see drivers penalised with three points on their licence - for not driving fast enough.

Speed limits on our roads give the top speed which drivers should travel at, but there are also restrictions for going too slow. The restrictions are governed by the Road Traffic Act 1988 and could result in points being added to your licence if you are going too slow. While speed limits signify the maximum, driving far below the speed limit can also lead to trouble. Tailoring your speed to road conditions is crucial, but driving excessively slowly can be considered careless driving under the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has offered a list of traffic offences which are considered careless or inconsiderate. It states: "The offence of driving without due care and attention (careless driving) under section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 is committed when the defendant's driving falls below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver."

The Mirror previously reported drivers could face a huge £5,000 fine and nine penalty points on their license for driving too slow. Unnecessarily slow driving or braking could fall under a careless driving offence which could also come with a hefty fine. Driving without due care and attention could land drivers with a fixed penalty notice - usually a fine of £100 or £200. The fine would likely be accompanied by three penalty points.

But in the most extreme cases, you might be called into court, where the courts will determine the punishment. The court has the ability to impose a more severe penalty than the police - with the maximum penalty being nine points and a fine of up to £5,000. But you will have to be driving 'significantly under the speed limit' to be in breach of the law.

Driving experts at The Windscreen Company previously said: "Whether you’ve only just recently passed your driving test, or you can’t even remember the decade you passed in, there are lots of rules for the roads that everyone knows on an instinctive basis. there are plenty of older, lesser-known UK driving laws that you might not know.

"Sticking to the speed limit works both ways, not only should you not be going above this speed, you also shouldn’t be driving too cautiously either. It’s fine to stay below the speed limit – especially when roads are wet – but drive too slowly and you could be pulled over.

Crown Prosecution Service's list of carless driving offences

• overtaking on the inside;
• driving too close to another vehicle;
• driving through a red light by mistake;
• turning into the path of another vehicle;
• the driver being avoidably distracted by tuning the radio, lighting a cigarette etc.
• flashing lights to force other drivers to give way;
• misusing lanes to gain advantage over other drivers;
• unnecessarily staying in an overtaking lane;
• unnecessarily slow driving or braking;
• dazzling other drivers with un-dipped headlights.