Driving in Germany
Many people visit Germany just to drive fast on German Motorways (Autobahns), and yes there are certain sections on German Motorways (Autobahn) where you can legally drive as fast as you can. But speed also kills and there are rules and regulations that must be followed to ensure safety on the roads. Driving is a privilege, not a right. This privilege may be withdrawn if a driver fails to show responsibility or care for his or her own safety or for the safety of others while driving.
Germany is birthplace of the first automobile and it's high-speed track "Autobahn". Despite having very good cargo railway system and national shipping cargo, roads in Germany are often jam-packed with heavy cargo vehicles. But there are certain hours and routes where you can enjoy high speed driving on German highways. Inside cities, however, there are very strict laws about speed.
German driving schools teach their students in such a way that drivers should be on alert and be ready to recognize typical errors committed ofttimes by other drivers and be able to cover those errors. Drivers are responsible for considering and anticipating the movements of pedestrians, particularly children, the elderly, and those who are physically impaired.
Despite their highspeed traffic, Autobahns are considered safe driving zones. They have 11% of road fatality rate, while Autobahns share 34% of countrywide traffic. Due to the central location of the country in Europe, in recent years more and more cargo traffic has shifted from rail to road. So, driving between slow-moving heavy trucks (which are not allowed to exceed the limit of 80 km/h (50 mph) ) and suddenly approaching high-speed cars which can be 250 km/h (155 mph) or even more, needs a strict following of rules and mutual understanding. It is very important for foreign / visiting drivers that they must know the rules and regulations about driving in Germany, specially highspeed driving on Autobahn.
Section 1: Driver's licence
- Driver's licence conversion process from EU and non EU countries
- Process of getting a new driver's license in Germany
Section 2: Driver's license categories
- Details of different categories and classes in driver's license
Section 3: Buying and importing cars
- The process involved in buying and registering a car in Germany. How to import a car, taxes on car import and registering an imported car.
Section 4: Traffic laws and regulations
- Section 4.1: Driving on Autobahn
- Useful tips for highspeed driving on Autobahn
- Actions prohibited on Autobahn
- Important traffic signs on Autobahn
- Route suitable for high speed (over 120kmh or 75mph)
- Section 4.2: General Traffic laws and regulations
- Driving in cities, towns and villages
- 30 Zone
- Driving rules and regulations in cities and highways other than Autobahn
- Section 4.3: Tire regulations
- Regulations about tires and snow chains
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Section 4.4
Right-of-way
- General rules for right-of-way
- Right-of-way in parallel moving traffic
- Right-of-way in intersection and junction
- Right before left rule
- Road crossing rules regarding pedestrians
- Roundabout rules
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Section 4.5
Vehicle Parking system in Geramny
- Parking places
- Types of parking
- No parking and no stopping
- Wrong parking and penalties
Section 5: In case of an accident
- To do and not to do in case of an accident
Section 6: Penalties on Traffic Violations
- Traffic fines in Germany. On-the-spot fine (Verwarnungsgeld), and Fine that can be paid later (Bußgeldbescheid)
Section 7: Environmental zones in Germany
- This page discusses different zones according to vehicle emission rules
Section 8: Road signs
- Section 8.1: Important road signs
- Details about different types of road signs and some confusions
- Section 8.2: List of all road signs
- A detailed list of general road signs in Germany
Section 9: Road markings
- Explanation of markings painted on roads
Section 10: Vehicle insurance
- Types of vehicle insurance, explanation of SF class and tips about vehicle insurance
Section 11: Driving training area
- Database of driving practicing areas (Verkehrsübungsplatze)
Section 12: Traffic-related German vocabulary
- Some common German language words regarding traffic system and words used in repair workshops
Section 13: Tuning and performance
- Database of tuning and performance companies in Germany
Section 14: Public transport
- Details about traveling with the German railway (Deutsche Bahn), Buses and air transport
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Home | Driver's Licence | Driver's license categories | Buying and importing cars | General Traffic laws and regulations | Driving on Autobahn | Tire regulations | Right-of-way | Vehicle Parking system in Geramny | In case of an accident | Penalties on Traffic Violations | Environmental zones in Germany | Important road signs | List of all road signs | Road markings | Vehicle insurance | Driving training area | Traffic-related German vocabulary | Tuning and performance | Public transport |