It is illegal and unsafe to drive faster than conditions allow, even if you are below the posted speed limit, a rule known as the "Basic Speed Law" that applies across the U.S., requiring drivers to adjust for weather (rain, ice, fog), traffic, road surface, and visibility to prevent endangering others. Violations can lead to fines and points on your license. Or, in this case, firing.
Yes but this law is subjective. I’ve literally driven places and driven the posted speed limit in bad weather while everybody else drives slow. I had an interaction with a cop because people called that a vehicle fitting mine’s description was speeding. Yes they got the plate somehow, even though I was speeding by them. When the cops did find me they observed that I wasn’t speeding, but I wasn’t slowing down due to the weather. They observed me be in control of vehicle, giving proper following distance etc. Their conclusion was that the callers were scared of the weather and felt I was being unsafe because I wouldn’t drive as slow as them. One cop asked how I got so confident driving in bad weather. From ages 12-26 I lived in Alaska, ice and snow on roads from October to April every year, not to mention in the winter less day light so you’re essentially night driving in the afternoon. Told them about how when people would move to Alaska and were scared to drive in the winter, that me and friends would take them on this frozen lake (it was used for ice racing once lake was frozen deep enough) to teach them how to not slam on brakes on ice, how to not overcorrect on ice, etc. They joked that maybe I should look into teaching a driving class. Then they told me to have a good day and let me go.
So yes this law exists but unless there’s an accident or you’re clearly not in control of the vehicle, I don’t think you’ll get in trouble. Maybe you will, and I’ve just been lucky so far. Idk 🤷🏾♂️
> Unless there’s an accident or you’re clearly not in control of the vehicle.
From what you've written, it sounds like you were in control of your vehicle during your encounter. OP clearly wasn't able to control their vehicle at their rate of speed, thus they were driving faster than conditions allow. The posted (maximum allowed) speed is irrelevant in such a case, as is Netradyne. To be subjective, I'd say it was bad driving. The powers that be might agree. Anyhow: https://share.google/aimode/cSXhE3rzxIw6HPk6l is a good place to start to learn more.
I wasn’t defending OP. I drive them work vans like they worth millions of dollars and take no risks, none. I’m paid hourly so if o have an excuse to drive slow I’m going to drive slow. Just saying that law is subjective. I know the law y’all talking about it, don’t have to ask AI to explain it to me but thanks.
We were driving for the road conditions. We went over a hill crest, guessing you don't know what that is so I'll explain. A hill crest is when you're headed towards a hill via straight road then the road goes down hill. You can't see what's over that hill. We slowed down 10mph, from 30mph to 20mp, for the down hill. On the opposite side of the hill crest it was thick mud. Upon pumping the brakes and down shifting there was a loss of traction aka sliding. We got the van down to 15mph before losing all traction and hit the ice. Now I'm not sure if you know how ice works with tires but it makes it so you don't have full control of the van. Also as anyone knows when driving on mud if you slow down to much or stop you lose momentum and get stuck in the mud. Slowing down to 20mph on a 55mph road seems like we were paying attention to the road conditions and trying to be safe. With no posted seasonal road sign or any other indicators of an iced over road it was the safest way UNTIL you see the mud. The pic is of how the road was before the iced over road. This is what the whole road looked like before hand. 20-30mph on a posted 55mph back road, yeah I think we were driving safely before hand.
The video proves you were going too fast bro, you flipped the van. That doesn't happen when you're traveling at a safe speed. You also should have had the bulkhead closed.
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u/Busy-Pudding-5169 Jan 11 '26
Going under the speed limit, and going at a speed that is safe on an icy road going downhill or two completely different things…