What is the minimum speed limit on highways when the maximum is 120 km/h?

[Doreen]

According to the "Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law" in China, the speed limits on highways are standardized. The minimum speed limit on highways must not be less than 60 kilometers per hour, and the maximum speed must not exceed 120 kilometers per hour, which is an internationally accepted standard. When driving on highways, it is essential to pay attention to the speed and avoid going too fast. Reasons for the 120 km/h speed limit on highways: 1. Road factors: The limit of 120 km/h is set based on China's road design standards. The friction coefficient of the road surface, the strength of guardrails, lane width, gradient, curvature radius, and sign size are all designed according to the 120 km/h standard. If the speed limit is increased recklessly, all related designs would need to be revised, and existing highways would require reconstruction, which would be extremely costly. 2. Driver factors: The driver's vision, field of view, and reaction time are the three most critical elements affecting traffic safety. Generally, as speed increases, a driver's vision and field of view deteriorate. 3. Vehicle factors: Vehicles can handle speeds of 120 km/h without any issues. In the event of a tire blowout at this speed, there is still a chance of survival. However, at 200 km/h, the chances of survival are virtually zero. 4. Environmental factors: Environmental factors include various aspects, such as adverse weather conditions, poor road conditions, diverse vehicle types, overall poor vehicle condition, speeding, fatigue driving, and overloaded transportation. When adverse weather conditions like rain, snow, fog, or ice occur, the safety coefficient of road traffic significantly decreases. In such cases, drivers need to proactively reduce their speed to ensure safety.

[JuniperLee]

It depends on the specific road signs. Generally speaking, the minimum speed limit for the leftmost lane on highways is 100 km/h, the middle lane at least 80 km/h, and the rightmost emergency lane is strictly prohibited. However, experienced drivers know that driving safely means keeping up with the traffic flow. For example, if everyone is driving at 90 km/h on a rainy day, driving at 60 km/h would be particularly dangerous. Last time on the Shenhai Expressway, I saw a new driver going 70 km/h getting aggressively flashed by the car behind, nearly causing an accident. Remember, the minimum speed limit isn't a rigid target to barely meet—the key is maintaining a safe distance and steady speed. If your vehicle condition isn't great and you need to drive at 80 km/h, remember to turn on your hazard lights and stay to the right.

[StJudah]

Minimum speed requirements vary by lane. The overtaking lane typically starts at 100 km/h, while the truck lane can be as low as 60 km/h. But don't just focus on the dashboard—pay attention to traffic flow dynamics. One particularly noteworthy statistic: 80% of highway rear-end collisions occur when there's a speed difference of over 30 km/h between vehicles. For example, if you're driving at 80 km/h while others are at 120 km/h, that's a relative speed of nearly 10 meters per second—too fast to brake in time. I usually check the rearview mirror to gauge speed; if vehicles behind are closing in like a freight train, it's time to accelerate. Extra caution is needed in tunnels where all lanes have a 60 km/h minimum speed requirement.

[NaomiRose]

Let me explain in three scenarios. First, under normal driving conditions: on a two-lane highway, the minimum speed on the right is 60 km/h, and 110 km/h on the left; on a three-lane highway, the far right is 60 km/h, the middle lane is 90 km/h, and the far left is 110 km/h. Second, in special weather conditions like heavy rain or fog, there's no strict minimum speed, but traffic regulations require turning on fog lights and keeping the speed below 60 km/h. Third, in case of vehicle malfunction, as long as the vehicle can move, it must be driven to the emergency stopping lane at a speed no less than 40 km/h. Last year on the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway, I witnessed a car driving at 40 km/h in the middle lane, which caused a five-car pile-up. Remember, driving too slowly on the highway is three times more dangerous than speeding!

[BraxtonRose]

Everyone knows the 120 km/h speed limit, but 90% of beginners get the minimum speed wrong. There are three key points: on high-traffic roads, following the car ahead is safest—don’t become a rolling roadblock; in rain or fog, minimum speed limits on all lanes are void, so drive at a safe speed instead; and here’s a little secret—the speed limit shown on car navigation systems is usually 10% higher than the actual limit, so if it says 80 km/h, driving around 70 km/h is still safe. The far-right lane may seem lenient, but with more trucks and larger blind spots, it’s not recommended for beginners. I often drive on the Shanghai-Nanjing Expressway, and accidents at speeds over 100 km/h are actually rarer than at 80 km/h because fewer lane changes mean lower rear-end collision risks.