Can You Get A Ticket For Driving The Speed Limit In Bad Weather?

There is a "gotcha" answer to this question.

We've all been there. We're creeping along on a snowy, ice-y, or rainy road and someone flies by us. Technically what they're doing is not illegal, but that is open to interpretation.

We all KNOW we should slow down when the weather gets rough, but do we have to? The answer kind of leads us down a sketchy road, to one of those laws that's open to interpretation.

I could not find anything legally that specifically says how much you should slow down in inclement weather. Even The Texas Department of Transportation only says, "slow down and allow more time to stop". I did see some advice that said to slow to a third in bad weather, but that's just advice and has nothing to do with the law.

So what if you want to take your life into your hands and drive at the speed limit in bad weather? Well, technically, you could get a ticket for reckless driving and that is based solely on the opinion of the officer that pulls you over. If you are wondering what that'll cost you, the answer is a fine of up to $200 and up to 30 days in jail.

Driving safely is everyone's responsibility and pretty much has to be left at that. It would be impossible to match road conditions to speed limits in the printed word and/or law. Speed limits are set according to the best conditions and you should cut your speed based on anything that degrades the conditions.