Is it illegal to drive too slow on highway entrance ramps in NC? We asked law enforcement
Hundreds of people weighed in on a recent social media post from a Charlotte meteorologist about a common annoyance on the road.
“What if I told you an entrance ramp is designed for you to accelerate to match the speed and merge with highway traffic,” WCNC Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich posted to Facebook last week.
The post generated more than 1,400 comments and nearly 9,000 likes, with most users agreeing with Panovich.
“Amazingly, many people just don’t get this concept,” one person wrote.
“It’s your momentum, your time to shine,” another responded. “Don’t let it go to waste!”
Of course, highway entrance ramps have posted speed limits, but is it illegal to drive too slow? We asked a law enforcement officer.
Is it illegal to drive too slow on NC highway entrance ramps?
There’s no law against driving too slow on highway entrance ramps, Master Trooper Christopher Casey, with N.C. State Highway Patrol, told The Charlotte Observer.
Casey said the speed at which drivers travel on entrance ramps should depend on the highway’s traffic conditions.
“A lot of this is going to be a judgment call,” said Casey, adding that, in ideal conditions, cars should speed up to keep traffic flowing.
“We’d like you to get up to moving traffic flow speed, that way you can gradually merge right in, and you’re not having to speed up or slow down.”
Casey also noted that drivers should adjust their speed accordingly during periods of heavy congestion on highways, and always obey posted speed limits on entrance ramps.
Who has the right-of-way when merging onto highways?
A vehicle entering a highway must yield to a vehicle that is already traveling on that road, North Carolina state law says.
The law also requires that vehicles traveling on highways yield the right-of-way to police, fire and emergency services vehicles.
Though there’s no law that requires it, Casey said it’s good practice for drivers traveling in the far right lane on highways to move to the left (if possible) to make room for cars trying to merge.
“Sometimes you might get a young driver who is trying to merge onto the highway at a slower speed,” Casey said. “You can go around them if need be, or, if they’re going the speed limit, pull back into the right lane.”
This story was originally published October 23, 2023 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Is it illegal to drive too slow on highway entrance ramps in NC? We asked law enforcement."
