You drive a car with no trailer on an interstate. The signs show a 70 mph speed limit and a 45 mph minimum. The road is dry and traffic is light, but you feel nervous and want to drive at 35 mph with your hazard flashers on. What does North Carolina law say?

Correct answer: You must drive at least 45 mph here, in any lane of the interstate.

Why

The handbook warns that a vehicle that moves much slower than the traffic flow is more likely to be in a crash, because faster drivers close on it quickly. On interstate and primary highways, North Carolina posts minimum speeds such as 40 mph in a 55 mph zone and 45 mph in a zone of 60 mph or more. A slower speed is lawful only in the cases that the law names, for example when you tow another vehicle or when a slower speed is necessary for safe operation. If you cannot keep up with interstate traffic in normal conditions, use a different road.

Verified against North Carolina Driver Handbook · Adjusting Your Speed to Driving Conditions · p. 55, 67