Slow drivers are making Irish roads “very dangerous” for other motorists, journalist Conor Faughnan has said. 

The transport expert said while he typically hears people worry about people breaking the speed limit, in recent times he has heard a “couple of complaints” about those driving significantly slower than those around them.

 “I sort of have to change gears mentally there on that because I’m forever warning people to slow down with the classic road safety hat in mind,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“Undeniably, speed worsens accidents; inappropriate speed is terribly dangerous behaviour. 

“But it’s possible to be the cause of an accident by driving too slowly - particularly on a single carriageway road.” 

Mr Faughnan added that drivers “see that pattern of behaviour a lot”. 

Traffic on a motorway. Picture by: eye35.pix / Alamy.com.

“If you have a speed limit of, say, 80km/ph,” he explained. 

“If you have a person who is very diffident, very nervous and is going along at 60km/ph, they might say in their own head, ‘I’m driving legally, I’m below the speed limit.’ 

“But the build up behind them, it may be the fault of the eejit who does take the risk, but you’re creating a circumstance where somebody behind you will take the risk and it could make the situation very dangerous.” 

Driving “without due care and attention”, as judged by An Garda Síochána, can be punished with two penalty points and a fine of €80. 

Main image: A car approaching a warning to slow down. Picture by: Alamy.com.