Europcar

Traffic law in Germany: What you should know

Traffic law in Germany: What you should know

When planning to hire a car and drive in Germany with Europcar, there are a few rules which you should know before you hit the road.

Right-Side Driving

Germany’s roads are designed for vehicles to be driven on the right side. This means oncoming traffic will be facing you on your left, and if you are on two-lane roads, the shoulder will be to your right.

Speed Limits

Within all urban areas, the speed limit is 50 kph unless otherwise posted. Outside of city areas, 100kph is the usual speed everywhere else. For those drivers pulling a trailer behind a vehicle, the maximum speed limit is 80kph on roads and highways (autobahns).

And for speed enthousiasts that would like to enjoy safely the full power of Europcar’s fleet, the highway itself has no speed limit. Perfect for enjoying a safe daylight drive in a brand new car rental!

Legal Alcohol Limit

The legal alcohol limit is zero for beginners and professionnal drivers. For other drivers, the limit will be 0,05 gramme per liter of blood. But standard practice is not to drive at all if you have been drinking anything alcoholic.

Parking

It is very difficult to find parking in certain parts of the country. Pay attention to parking signs to avoid tickets – round signs with red borders, blue backgrounds, and the X mean no parking or stopping at all. If the sign has a single diagonal line rather than an X, this is restricted or three-minute parking. A red border sign with white in the middle means no vehicles of any type allowed.

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