Below is a
rather complete overview of the German traffic code based on my
interpretation of the current Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (Road
Traffic Ordinances) distributed by the Federal Transport Ministry, as
well as numerous contributions by readers.
On this page:
The most important section for foreigners is the right-of-way
discussion.
When
you're done, you can test your knowledge here!
Licensing
If you are
visiting Germany and will not be establishing residency, then your own
driver's license from your home country, state, or province is valid in
Germany for as long as you're there. If you will be establishing residency in
Germany, your driver's license is valid for six months from the date
when permanent residency is established, which in practice is generally
assumed to be the date you enter the country. You will have to
obtain a German driver's license in order to continue driving after that
six month grace period expires. If your residency will be for
longer than six months but less than one year (and you can legally prove
it), you can obtain a six month extension to use your existing license.
If you're using
a foreign license to drive in Germany, you're supposed to carry an
official translation of your license in addition to the license itself,
but if you speak the language well enough, I've found that you should be
OK. If you should get into a situation where you need to have a
translation, you can get one from the ADAC automobile club for about
€40. If you want to have a bit of "insurance", you can take care
of this before arriving by getting an International Driving Permit (IDP)
in your home country. In the US, these are available from AAA for
US$10 plus two passport photos. (If you're unsure, my recommendation is to get an IDP
before you go-- better safe than sorry.) Keep in mind that an IDP
does not replace your official driver's
license-- it is just a translation of it in an internationally
recognized format. You must carry your official license with your
IDP in order for it to be valid.
If you will be
in stationed in Germany with the US military, you will need to obtain a
driver's license issued by the US Armed Forces. See the USAREUR
driver's handbook at
http://rmv.hqusareur.army.mil/drivrman/ss190-34.htm, then come back here for a
supplemental guide!
If you are not
affiliated with the US military and are going to be living in Germany
longer than one year, you will need to get a German Driver's License (Führerschein).
To do this, you must have a valid license in your home country and have
not lived in Germany for more than three years. The process starts
with a visit to the local traffic office (Straßenverkehrsamt).
What happens next will depend on where you hail from. Germany has
reciprocal agreements with many countries and US states allowing
driver's licenses to be converted. If you're lucky, you may have
to do nothing more than fill-out some paperwork (although after you
fill-out all the required forms, you may wonder just how lucky you
really are!) If not, you may still get off only having to take the
written test. Otherwise, you'll have to go through the whole
testing procedure, just like the Germans do. Note, though, that
when a conversion is possible, only holders of non-commercial
vehicle licenses can convert their existing license to a German license.
If your license
was issued in one of the following US states, you can convert your
license to a German license without any testing: Alabama, Arizona,
Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Puerto
Rico.
Licenses from
these US states require the applicant to take just the written test:
Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, and Tennessee.
For a complete and current
list of all US states, Canadian provinces, and other countries with
reciprocal license agreements, see the Fahrtipps website (see
links at bottom of this page).
Conversion of
licenses from all other US states will require you to take both the
written and practical (road) tests. In all cases,
you will probably have to take the vision test, which is usually
administered by a commercial eye doctor (at your own expense, of
course.)
If you can
convert your license without testing, simply complete the required
paperwork and submit it. If you have to take the written test, it
will given at the traffic office. The test consists of sections
covering laws, signs, vocabulary, theory, and energy conservation.
To prepare for the test, you can study this site and/or take a course at
a German driving school (Fahrschule). Be wary, though-- you
just want the short laws and signs class, not the full driving course.
The latter course currently costs around €1,250 and consists of 25-45
hours of instruction, 12 hours of theory, and oodles of practical
experience including night and Autobahn driving. Make sure you ask
for the special class for new residents. If a school tells you
they don't offer it, find one that does.
If you have to
take the practical on-the-road test, it will be conducted by a driving
school and will last about an hour. It will most likely include a
short trip on the Autobahn. If you need practice, most driving
schools offer short courses to prepare for the practical test as well.
Once you pass these tests, you will have a German driver's license valid
for the rest of your life!
General laws and enforcement
The minimum age
to drive in Germany is 18. Traffic drives on the right and passes
on the left (not the other way around, as some Americans inexplicably think.)
Seatbelts must be worn by all passengers. Children under 12 years
old or shorter than 1.5 meters may not sit in the front seat unless they
are in an approved child safety seat. However, you may not use a
child safety seat in the front seat if there is an active airbag.
You must leave your doors unlocked while driving to facilitate rescue in
an accident. Drivers must have third-party liability insurance. Vehicles must carry a warning triangle (Warndreieck)
and a super-duper highway first aid kit (Pkw-Verbandkasten) in
which I defy you to find any band-aids.
Germany does not require a fire extinguisher (Feuerlöscher), but
you may want one anyway. You must place the warning triangle 100
meters behind your vehicle if it is disabled (200 meters on the
Autobahn), although I have yet to see anyone actually put it that far
back. It is illegal to drive with your parking lights only;
you must use your headlights at night and during inclement weather.
Motorcyclists must ride with helmets and headlights on at all
times.
The police are
allowed to collect fines (Verwarnungsgeld) for most traffic
offenses on the spot. If you don't have enough cash on
hand, your vehicle may
be impounded (at additional cost to you, of course.) You need not
fear when paying spot fines-- the German police are very professional
and corruption is very rare, and you will be given a receipt for the
payment.
Beware of
enforcement cameras. Germany probably uses such cameras more than
anyone else (except possibly Britain). Automatic cameras are
stationed to catch speeders, red-light violators, and tailgaters. Sometimes an
obscure sign will warn you of the existence of such a camera, but it's
usually too late by then. You'll sometimes spot temporary cameras
setup along the side of the Autobahn or on an overpass watching for
tailgaters or speeders. Tickets are mailed to the registered
owner of the vehicle within a few weeks. If you're driving a
rental car, the ticket will go to the rental agency. They, in
turn, will report you to the police as the driver of the vehicle and the
ticket will be forwarded to you, although they frequently drop cases
against non-EU residents-- it's too much of a hassle since the odds of
collecting are pretty slim. An interesting footnote: the police
stopped sending a copy of the photo a few years ago when several spouses
discovered cases of infidelity when they opened the violation notice.
Now, you have to go to the police station yourself to see the photo and
contest it if you so desire. Such an effort is usually fruitless,
though.
Sometimes the
police will travel along in unmarked cars or vans with front and rear
mounted cameras looking for violations. If you get
busted, you'll likely be signaled to pull over by a "lollypop" traffic
paddle (a white disk with red bull's-eye on a short stick) being held
out of the window and perhaps a flashing sign on the back of the vehicle
reading "Polizei-- bitte folgen" ("police-- please follow".)
Right-of-way
Germany uses a
hierarchical system to determine right-of-way (Vorfahrt, Vorrang)
at intersections. The following list shows this hierarchy:
- Police
officer: A police officer directing traffic overrides all other
traffic controls. Many officers use obvious motions to direct
traffic. However, if an officer is not motioning and has both
shoulders facing you (often with arms outstretched), you must wait.
This applies to traffic behind him as well as in front of him. If
he has just one shoulder facing you, you have the right-of-way. If
he has one hand in the air, he is preparing to change the traffic flow
(equivalent to a yellow light) and all traffic must stop. Police
and crossing guards may also use a traffic paddle ("lollypop")--
this is equivalent to a
stop sign.
- Traffic
signals: Traffic signals are the next highest right-of-way
control. Traffic signals are discussed in detail on the
Signs, Signals, and Markings page. Remember that you
cannot turn right on red in Germany unless there is a
sign next to the signal. If a right on red is permitted, you
must come to a complete stop first.
-
Signs:
Signs are the most common right-of-way control. Germany uses a
system of "priority roads" (Vorfahrtstraßen) to assign
right-of-way. Priority roads are marked with the
sign. Traffic on a priority road has the right-of-way
("priority") over other traffic at all intersections along the way.
Intersecting streets will have a yield or stop sign. The yield
sign
indicates that you must give the right-of-way, but you don't have to
stop if the way is clear. The stop sign
indicates that you must first come to a complete stop, then proceed
when the way is clear. Often, priority roads make turns at
intersections in towns. These turns are indicated by schematic
signs
showing the direction of the turn. (On the schematic, you are
approaching from the bottom.) Traffic proceeding in the
direction of the thick line has the right-of-way. Traffic
leaving the priority road must yield to other traffic continuing
along the priority road but still has the right-of-way over traffic
on the other streets. By the way, if you are following a
priority road that turns, you still must use your turn signal. Priority roads are cancelled by the
sign or by a yield or stop sign. On roads that are not
priority roads, right-of-way may be granted by the
sign. This sign indicates that you have the right-of-way only at the
next intersection. The signs above are also usually posted at
intersections controlled by traffic signals. The signal takes
precedence over the signs unless the signal is not operating; then
the signs govern traffic.
- Default
right-of-way scheme: If there is no policeman, no signal, or no
sign indicating the right-of-way, then the following default scheme
is used:
- Public road has priority: Traffic on public highways has
priority over private drives, forest and farm paths, and dirt
roads.
- Right has right-of-way:
When two public roads cross at an uncontrolled intersection,
then right-of-way is always given to traffic approaching from
the right. This includes "T"
intersections! In the US, traffic on the through street of a "T"
has the right-of-way. In Germany, you must yield to the right,
even if you are on the through road. This also includes
the rare situation where a main road and small side street crosses
at an uncontrolled intersection.
- Heavy traffic rules: Whenever traffic is heavily
congested, normal right-of-way rules go out the window and the
"zipper rule" (Reißverschluß) goes into effect. This means that
cars feed one at a time alternating from each direction,
regardless of who has the posted right-of-way. The "zipper rule"
also applies when one lane ends and merges into another. Each
vehicle in the through lane must allow one vehicle from the
truncated lane to merge in. At intersections, do not enter the
intersection if traffic is backed-up on the other side of the
junction, even if you have a green light.
Other
right-of-way rules
In situations of otherwise equal right-of-way,
vehicles going straight have priority, followed by right turns; left
turns go last. Traffic entering a roundabout technically has the
right-of-way unless the entrance is marked with a
sign (which it usually is). (Footnote: you must use your turn
signal when you exit a roundabout.) Emergency vehicles with a flashing
blue light and siren sounding always have the right-of-way (of course);
you must pull-over to the right-hand side of the road when one
approaches. You should yield to streetcars at intersections.
Don't pass a stopped streetcar if it is discharging passengers directly
onto the street; you may continue on when the doors have closed.
Buses leaving a marked bus stop have the right-of-way. On narrow
road sections, the
sign gives you the priority over oncoming traffic, and the
 sign
means you must yield to oncoming traffic. On narrow mountainous
roads, traffic going uphill has the right-of-way. On roads where passing
is difficult or not allowed, slower traffic is required to pull over
when possible to allow faster traffic to go by (waysides are sometimes
provided for this purpose.) Pedestrians always have the right-of-way
when in a crosswalk. Vehicles entering an Autobahn or expressway
must yield to other traffic already on the Autobahn or expressway.
Speed limits
In Germany,
there is a set of general or "default" speed limits (Geschwindigkeitbeschränkung).
These are the limits you must obey in the absence of signs:
| |
  |
  |
 |
>7.5t |
 |
|
Within urban areas |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
Outside
urban areas |
|
 |
 |
 |
  |
|
Autobahns & Expressways |
|
 |
|
|
Some vehicles may
be exempt from the 80 km/h Autobahn speed limit. These vehicles
display a decal resembling a speed limit sign indicating the speed
they're permitted to travel.
Signs, of course,
supersede the default limits.
Beware of
signs. These indicate the speed limit for an entire neighborhood.
The 30 speed limit remains in effect on all streets within the zone
until you pass a
sign.
Here are a few points about speed limit signs to be aware of:
-
Although the
speed limit cancellation sign
will only show the last posted speed limit, it actually cancels all
previous posted limits and indicates a return to the default speed
limit for the road you are on. For example: You're traveling
down a rural road at the default speed limit of 100 km/h when you
come to a
sign. So you slow down to 80. A kilometer or so later,
you come to a
sign, so you slow down to 60. After a while, you pass a
sign. What speed do you return to? The answer is the
default speed limit of 100 km/h. The
sign cancels all previous posted speed limits, not just the 60 km/h
limit.
-
Whenever a
speed limit sign is mounted beneath a warning sign, the speed
limit only applies until you pass the hazard indicated on the
warning sign. For instance, if you you come to a
sign with a
sign below it, the 60 km/h speed limit is in effect only until you
pass the traffic signals, after which you can then return to the
default speed limit if no other speed limit signs are posted.
-
The
sign indicates the end of all previous posted speed limits and the
end of any no passing zones. However, the default speed limit
still applies.
Other speed
limits
-
When fog
reduces visibility to less than 50 meters, the maximum speed you may
drive is 50 km/h.
-
When a bus is
stopped at a bus stop with its hazard lights flashing, traffic in
both directions may only pass at a speed of 7 km/h or less.
-
Whenever a
child or an elderly or handicapped person is near the road, drivers
are required to remove their foot from the accelerator and be
prepared to stop. German courts have upheld that the driver is
ultimately responsible for preventing accidents in these situations
no matter the actions of the other person.
Drinking & driving
The penalties
for driving under the influence in Germany are harsh. Severe
penalties are assessed to first time offenders, usually including the
suspension of your license. Penalties for drunk driving now start with a
blood alcohol limit as low as 0.03. With the high alcohol content
of German social beverages, it doesn't take long to hit the limit.
And, if you have an accident, the courts may determine whether alcohol
was a factor even if your blood alcohol content is below the limit.
The best advice is this: if you drink AT ALL, don't drive!
Don't forget that driving under the influence of drugs (prescription or
recreational) is also illegal.
Parking regulations
In Germany, you
are considered "parked" if you leave your vehicle or if you stop/stand
for longer than 3 minutes, unless you are actively boarding or
discharging passengers or loading or unloading cargo.
You may not
park:
- Within 5
meters on either side of an intersection
- In front
of driveway entrances or exits, or on the opposite side of the
street if the roadway is too narrow to allow vehicles to enter or
exit the driveway
- If parking
will obstruct the use of marked parking places
- Within 15
meters on either side of a bus or streetcar stop marked with a
sign
- Within 50
meters on either side of a
sign when outside of urban areas or within 5 meters when inside an
urban area
- On a
priority road outside of urban areas
- In front
of a curb-cut or wheelchair ramp
- Adjacent
to a traffic island or median
- On the
street side of another parked vehicle ("double parked")
- Anywhere
there is a
sign
You may not
stop or stand (on the side of the road):
- On narrow
roads or in blind spots
- Near sharp
curves
- On or
within 5 meters approaching a pedestrian crosswalk
- On railway
crossings or tracks
- In or
adjacent to turn lanes (those marked with arrows on the pavement)
- In front
of and approaching a fire station driveway
- Within a
traffic circle or roundabout
- At a taxi
stand marked with a
sign
- On the
Autobahn
- Within 10
meters in front of
,
,
or
signs, or traffic signals, if parking would obstruct the view of
the sign or signal
- Anywhere
there is a
sign
Except where
prohibited (see above), on-street parking is generally permitted.
When you park, there must be a gap of a least 3 meters between your
vehicle and the middle of the street or the nearest lane line. In
many places, you may park partially or entirely on the sidewalk to
fulfill this requirement. Look for signs permitting this (or other
vehicles doing so) before you do it. If you do, make sure there is
sufficient room for pedestrians on the sidewalk. Vehicles over
2.8t may not park on the sidewalk.
You must park
on the right side of the street unless:
- You are on
a one-way street and parking on the left would leave sufficient room
for vehicles to pass.
- There are
rails along the right side.
You may not
park, stop, or stand in a traffic lane if there is a shoulder or parking
lane.
When parking on
a street at night, you must use your parking lights unless you are
parked near an all-night street light. Street lights that do not
remain on for the entire night are marked by a white and red band
around the lamppost.
The
sign indicates where parking is permitted on streets or gives directions
to an off-street parking facility. When used to mark on-street
parking, it is usually accompanied by additional signs indicating when
parking is permitted, who is permitted to park, or that the use of a
parking permit, voucher, or disc is required. For more information
on finding parking in cities and using parking facilities, see the
Driving & Parking in
German Cities page.
Parking
Control Zones
The
sign indicates the entrance to an area or neighborhood where there is a
general parking restriction. Supplemental signs will indicate what
that restriction is, such as parking restricted to residents or certain
permit holders or a requirement to use a parking voucher or disc (see
below.) All streets in the area are included in this restriction
until the
sign is reached.
Parking
vouchers, discs, and meters
Signage for on-street parking may
require you to use a voucher, disc, or meter to restrict the length of
time you may park. See the
Driving & Parking in German Cities page for information on using
each of these systems.
Violations
Parking fines generally range from €5-25 and if you are obstructing
traffic or a driveway, your vehicle will, with great Teutonic
efficiency, almost surely become the temporary property of the police. In such an event, call the police to settle the
situation.
Urban traffic regulations
The
sign marks the entrance to an urban area. Upon passing this sign,
several special traffic regulations go into effect:
- Speed
limit: 50 km/h
- You may
not honk your horn except when necessary to avoid a collision.
- Parking is
prohibited within 5 meters of a railroad crossing.
- You must
ensure that your vehicle can be seen when parked at night.
This may require the use of parking lights if street lighting is
inadequate or does not remain on all night. Such lights are marked
by a red & white band
around the lamppost.
The sign
indicates that you are leaving the built-up area and its associated
traffic regulations. The following general regulations apply:
- Speed
limit: 100 km/h
- Parking is
prohibited on priority roads.
- Parking is
prohibited within 50 meters of a railroad crossing.
- Disabled
vehicles must be marked with a warning triangle.
Traffic calming
zones
Traffic calming
zones (Verkehrsberuhigtezone) are usually implemented on small
residential streets. The start of a traffic calming zone is marked
by the
sign and the
sign marks the end of such a zone. Within traffic calming zones,
the following rules apply:
- Traffic
must maintain the lowest possible speed-- no more than 7 km/h.
-
Pedestrians may use the entire street; children are permitted to
play in the street.
- Motorists
may not endanger or hinder pedestrians; when necessary, motorists
must wait.
-
Pedestrians may not unnecessarily hinder traffic.
- Parking is
not permitted outside of marked spaces except for
boarding/discharging and loading/unloading.
- When
leaving the zone, you must yield to all other traffic.
Autobahn traffic regulations
Special rules
apply when driving on the Autobahn. These are listed on the
Autobahn page.
Additional prohibitions
- Use of
mobile phones is prohibited while your vehicle is in operation.
The only time you are permitted to use a mobile phone is if you are
parked and the engine is turned-off. You may use a hands-free
mobile phone when driving if it does not impede your hearing (i.e.
one earphone only).
- Vehicles
with a gross permitted weight of 7.5 tons or more (with several
exceptions) are prohibited from all public roads on Sundays and
public holidays from 00:00 to 22:00. This is to help prevent
traffic jams.
- Vehicles that have not passed an emissions test
may be banned from the central area of a city area during severe air pollution
episodes. When pollution reaches excessive levels, police set-up
checkpoints marked with "SMOG"
signs along major corridors into the city. Beginning in 2007,
local governments can also establish so-called "environmental zones". Access to these zones, marked with
"Umwelt Zone"
signs, is restricted to vehicles displaying one of the red, yellow,
or green colored
emissions stickers specified on the supplemental sign mounted below
the main sign. These zones may be permanent or
may only be activated only during air pollution alerts.
- Motorists
are prohibited from unnecessarily revving their motors or slamming
their car doors excessively. It is also illegal to drive back
and forth unnecessarily (i.e. "cruising") in towns.
Accidents
If the
unfortunate should happen and you should be involved in an accident, the
steps to take are basically similar to those in the US. Here's a
list of what you should do:
- Stop
immediately. This also applies if you are not directly
involved in the accident but are a witness. Germany's Good
Samaritan Law also requires you to stop and render aid if people
need help, even if you are not a party to or did not witness the accident.
- If anyone
is injured, call for an ambulance and the police-- from a phone
booth or cell phone, dial 112; on Autobahns or other major highways,
use the nearest emergency telephone (the direction to which is
marked by arrows atop the black and white posts along the roadside).
You are required by law to give first aid to any injured persons.
Remember that super-duper first aid kit you're supposed to carry?
This is where it comes in handy.
(Germans, by the way, are required to take a first aid class to
obtain a driver's license.) Do not move anybody that is
injured unless it is absolutely necessary. If there is a fire
or spilled fuel, get everyone involved away from the vehicles and
call the fire department (dial 112 or use an emergency phone.)
- If nobody
is injured, and the vehicles can be moved safely, you should mark
the location of each vehicle, then move them out of traffic.
You can mark the locations either by drawing a diagram of the site
and vehicles, taking photographs, or using "traffic chalk" to mark
the physical locations of the vehicles on the pavement before you
move them. Most German automotive first aid kits have a stick
of traffic chalk (it looks like a big yellow or white crayon.)
Secure the accident site using a warning triangle placed 100 meters
behind the scene (200 meters on the Autobahn.)
- Exchange
information with the other drivers including your driver's license,
passport, insurance green card, and rental information. As a
tourist, it is in your best interest to then call the police to the
scene (if you haven't already) and have them take a report (dial 110 or use an emergency phone). This ensures
that all the proper legal requirements are satisfied and helps
protect you from future problems.
- If you
damage an unoccupied vehicle, German law requires you to wait at the
scene for at least 30 minutes for the owner to return. If the
owner does not return, you must then report the accident to the
police in person. As a tourist, it is probably best to call
the police to the scene rather than go to a police station.
You might even want to do this immediately instead of waiting for
the owner to return.
- Once the
police have cleared you, you can leave the scene. If you are
driving a rental car, you should contact the rental agency
immediately to report the incident. They will give you
instructions on what to do next and will dispatch a tow truck if
necessary.
- If you
need further legal assistance or advice after an accident, you
should contact the nearest consulate or embassy. If you are a
member of the national auto club in your home country (e.g. AAA in
the US), the German ADAC auto club may also be able to assist you as
they have reciprocal agreements with most national auto clubs.
Additional information
|
