SailFree

Very cute comment, and considerable truth. The slow driver is often someone who is incapable of dealing quickly with what happens in front of them, which is why they are going slowly, but also surprised by things that overtake them from behind. Twice the danger. Plus the autos overtaking have to deal with the slow driver. Thus more lane-changing going on, braking, evaluating gaps in traffic, etc.

My theory re why insurance company stats show that the safer drivers are those traveling 10MPH FASTER than the traffic around them is that they have only half the world to worry about: What's happening in front of them. Things that occur behind them are no longer in their universe; left behind, as it were. They are not generally being overtaken.

May be an erroneous theory, but it's all mine!