(A) No person shall stop or operate a vehicle at such an unreasonably slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when stopping or reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or to comply with law.
(B) Whenever the Director of Transportation or local authorities determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that slow speeds on any part of a controlled-access highway, expressway or freeway consistently impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the Director or such local authority may declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall operate a motor vehicle, except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with the law. No minimum speed limit established hereunder shall be less than 30 miles per hour, greater than 50 miles per hour, nor effective until the provisions of R.C. § 4511.21 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, relating to appropriate signs, have been fulfilled and local authorities have obtained the approval of the Director.
(C) In a case involving a violation of this section, the trier of fact, in determining whether the vehicle was being operated at an unreasonably slow speed, shall consider the capabilities of the vehicle and its operator.
(D) Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one predicate motor vehicle or traffic offense, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of two or more predicate motor vehicle or traffic offenses, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(E) If the offender commits the offense while distracted and the distracting activity is a contributing factor to the commission of the offense, the offender is subject to the additional fine established under § 70.99(B).
(R.C. § 4511.22) (Prior Code, § 73.11)