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Self-Drive
Motoring holidays in Germany.
Tips on driving abroad
in Germany. Motoring rules and regulations in Germany. German motoring laws.
Distance
Chart
International Driving Permit
Interactive Route
Planner
Relative Carbon
Emissions
Buy Road Maps of Germany
Make sure you Drive Alive! Drive on
the right!
-
Be especially careful when setting
off from service stations or restaurants on the left side of the road.
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Take care when overtaking - allow
more space between you and the car in front so you can see further down the
road ahead.
-
Germany
has strict drink driving laws, only allowing 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per
millilitre of blood - stricter than the UK where the limit is 0.8.
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Seat belts front and rear are
obligatory everywhere.
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Speed limits, shown below, are
implemented rigorously. Radar traps are frequent. In Germany, and heavy
on-the-spot fines can be levied.
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Remember - Speeding and other
traffic offences are subject to on-the-spot fines.
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When approaching a roundabout give way to traffic already on the roundabout,
on your left, unless signed otherwise.
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There are no
tolls to pay on German Autobahns.
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Low Emission
Zones
- don't get caught out - many German cities require you
to display a sticker confirming your vehicle meets environmental
requirements.
Although the autobahns in Germany are not subject to an overall speed limit
(the blue speed limit signs, usually showing 130, are suggested maximum speeds),
many stretches of autobahn are covered by signed speed limits, which are mostly
closely observed by the Germans.
A full UK driving licence is required. Minimum age for driving in Germany is
18. As in the UK, seat belts should be worn front and rear. Below are motoring
regulations relating to Germany.
More and
more towns are adopting the priority to traffic coming from the right in the
towns. If there is no yellow diamond at a road junction, you MUST give way to
traffic from the right, even if you are on the major road. As it used to do in
France years ago this is causing accidents, especially in the rain. It is used
as a way to slow traffic down in built up areas.
|
Country |
Motorway |
Open Road |
Town |
Alcohol mg/ml |
|
Germany |
none unless shown |
100 km/h |
50 km/h |
0.5 |
Bulb replacement set is advised, but not compulsory.
Children
in cars: children under 12 or 1.5 metres tall are not allowed to travel
unless using an appropriate restraint.
Documentation: always carry your driving licence,
vehicle registration document (V5), and certificate of motor insurance. If your
licence does not incorporate a photograph ensure you carry your passport to
validate the licence. If the vehicle is not registered in your name, carry a
letter from the registered owner giving you permission to drive.
Drinking
and driving: Don't do it. Over 0.05 per cent and you could face fines,
endorsement or even imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offence.
Fines: On the spot fines are issued. Just about every possible driving
offence can be subject to a fine, even running out of fuel on the Autobahn!
Ensure an official receipt is issued by the officer collecting the fine.
First-aid kit is compulsory.
Fuel: All grades of unleaded petrol, diesel and LPG are available as well
as lead substitute additive. It is allowed to carry petrol in a can. Credit and
debit cards are widely accepted, although they probably won't work at automatic
pumps. At many garages in rural areas only automatic pumps are available at
lunch time, during the evening and weekend, so make sure you're topped up. It's
a good idea to let your card issuer know you will be travelling abroad. This
ensures they don't suspend your card if they spot it being used in unfamiliar
places, which they sometimes do as an anti-fraud measure.
GB sticker: UK
registered vehicles displaying Euro-plates (circle of 12 stars above the
national identifier on blue background) no longer need a GB sticker when
driving in European Union countries.
Headlamp converters are compulsory.
Low emission zones are now in place in a number of
German cities. A special permit is required to drive through these zones. For
more info visit our
Low Emission
Zone page.
Minimum
age for driving, provided you hold a full UK licence, is 18 for a car, 18
for a motorcycle over 50cc, and 16 for a motorcycle under 50cc.
Motorcycle drivers and passengers must wear crash helmets.
Motor insurance: third-party insurance is compulsory. A green card is not
required but your insurer should be advised of your trip.
Seat belts are compulsory for front and rear seat occupants, if fitted.
Snow
chains are recommended to be carried everywhere in Germany during winter,
and if you do not carry and fit them when conditions demand the police can
prevent you continuing your journey. Click for general
information on
winter tyres and snow chains.
Visibility Vests are now compulsory in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy,
Norway, Portugal and Spain (and likely to become compulsory throughout the EU).
The rules vary from country to country concerning number of vests
required and whether they should be carried in the car or boot. Common sense
suggests that there should be a vest for every occupant, and that the vests
should be carried in the car, and put on before getting out. Do this and you
will not have a problem.
Snow
chains are recommended to be carried everywhere in Germany during winter,
and if you do not carry and fit them when conditions demand the police can
prevent you continuing your journey. Click for general
information on
winter tyres and snow chains.
All information on this page is provided as a
service to our clients. It is intended as a guide to the more important rules
for the different countries to which we offer driving holidays. It is not meant
to be a comprehensive document. We try and keep the information on this page
up-to-date, but we cannot be held responsible in any way for any consequences
arising from any inaccuracies. If you find a mistake or would like to send us
some additional information, please email
us. Your co-operation is appreciated.
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