Comparison of European traffic laws

Many countries in Europe have different policies on traffic laws, which are tabulated below. Speed limits on motorways (expressways), dual carriageways (divided streets), single carriageways (undivided streets), and urban areas may differ. Some countries have an upper limit on permitted blood alcohol level (typically maxing out at 0.05%), but other countries do not allow any blood alcohol content at all. Furthermore, rules may also differ whether drivers may be required or recommended to bring seatbelts, warning triangles, first aid, fire extinguishers, spare bulbs, and tow ropes. Countries also vary with respect to minimum driver's age (typically either 17 or 18) and the minimum child age for them to be allowed in the front seat.

Overview

Country codeCountrySpeed limit on motorways / controlled-access highways (km/h)

or

Speed limit on dual carriageways / limited-access highways (km/h) or Speed limit on single carriageways outside of urban areas (km/h)Speed limit in urban areas (km/h)Permitted alcohol level (%)Toll roadsSeatbelt requiredMinimum child age (front seat)Triangle requiredFirst aid requiredFire extinguisher requiredSpare bulb requiredMinimum driver's ageTow rope required
A  Austria130 100100500.05YesAllN/aYesYesRecommendedNo17Yes
AL  Albania110 9080400.01Yes[1]N/aRecommendedRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
AND  AndorraN/a 90400.05Front10YesRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
B  Belgium120 12070 (Flanders);
90 (Wallonia)		500.05No[2]All12YesYesYesNo18 (17 with supervision of parents)Yes
BG  Bulgaria140 12090500.05YesAll10YesYesYesYes18Yes
BIH  Bosnia and Herzegovina130 10080500.03Yes[3]12YesYesRecommendedYes18Yes
BY  Belarus120 9090600.03YesYes[4]12YesYesYesNo18Yes
CH  Switzerland120 80 (100 on limited-access roads)500.05YesAllYesRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
CY  Cyprus100 10080500.05All12Yes, 2xRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
CZ  Czech Republic130 90 (110 on express roads)50 (80 on express roads and motorways)0YesAllN/aYesYesRecommendedNo18 (17 for B1 cars)No
D  Germany[5]no or speed limit sign (130 recommended)100500.05No[6]AllN/aYesYesRecommendedNo18 (17 with supervision of >30 years old driver)No
DK  Denmark130 11080500.05YesAllN/aUse required in case of accidentNoRecommendedNo18No
E  Spain120 1209030 (roads with one lane in each direction)

50 (roads with at least two lanes in each direction)

 0.05YesAllN/aYes, 2xRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
EST  Estonia110 10090500.02AllN/aYesYesYesNo18 (16 with supervision of a person with 2+ years of driving experience)Yes
F  France130 (rain/wet 110) 110 (rain/wet 100)80500.05YesAll10YesRecommendedRecommendedNo17 (15 with supervision of a person with 5+ years of driving experience)Yes
FIN  Finland120[7] 10080–100500.05NoAll3YesRecommendedRecommendedNo17 (16 with supervision of a 25+ years old person with 5+ years of driving experience)Yes
FL  LiechtensteinN/a 8080500.08AllN/aYesYesRecommendedNo18Yes
GR  Greece130 9090500.05All12YesYesYesNo18Yes
H  Hungary130 11090 (110 on express road)500YesAll12YesYesRecommendedNo18 (17 with supervision of someone with 10+ years drive-experience)Yes
HR  Croatia130 11080500.05YesAll12YesYesRecommendedYes18No
I  Italy130 11090500.05YesAll12YesRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
IRL  Ireland120 10080 (local & regional roads);
100 (national roads)		500.05Yes[8]AllN/aRecommendedRecommendedRecommendedNo17Yes
IS  IcelandN/a 90 (paved roads);
80 (gravel roads)		500.05All14YesRecommendedRecommendedNo17Yes
L  Luxembourg130 90500.05All11YesRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
LT  Lithuania130 (110 from November 1 to March 31) 120 (110 from November 1 to March 31)90500.04All12YesYesYesNo18No
LV  LatviaN/a 11090500.05AllYesYesYesNo18Yes
M  MaltaN/a 80500.08Yes[9]11RecommendedRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
MC  MonacoN/a 500.05N/a10RecommendedRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
MD  MoldovaN/a 11090500.03All12YesYesYesNo18Yes
NMK  North Macedonia130 11080500.05YesAll12YesYesRecommendedYes18Yes
MNE  Montenegro120 80500.05YesAll12YesRecommendedRecommendedNoYes
N  Norway110 9080500.02YesAllN/aYesRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
NL  Netherlands100 (day)[10]
130 (night)		 10080500.05Yes[11]All12RecommendedRecommendedRecommendedNo18 (17 with supervision of someone with 5+ years drive-experience)Yes
P  Portugal120 10090500.05YesAll12YesRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
PL  Poland140 100 (120 on express roads)90 (100 on express roads)500.02YesAllN/aYesRecommendedYesNo18 (16 for B1 cars)No
RO  Romania130 90 (100 on European roads and 120 on express roads)90 (100 on European roads)500YesAll12YesYesYesNo18 (16 for B1 cars)No
RSM  San MarinoN/a 70500.08All12RecommendedRecommendedRecommendedNo18Yes
RUS  Russia[12]110 90600.03YesAll12YesYesYesNo18Yes
S  Sweden110 70500.02N/aAllN/aYesRecommendedRecommendedNo18No
SK  Slovakia130 90 (130 on express roads)90 (100 on express roads)500YesAll12YesYesRecommendedYes18 (17 with supervision of someone with 10+ years drive-experience)Yes
SLO  Slovenia130 11090500.05All12YesYesRecommendedNo18Yes
SRB  Serbia130 10080500.02YesAll12YesYesRecommendedNo18 (17 with supervision of someone with 5+ years drive-experience)Yes
TR  Turkey120-140 11090500.05YesAll10YesYesYesNo18Yes
UA  Ukraine130 11090500N/aAll12YesYesYesNo18Yes
UK  United Kingdom113 (70 mph) 113 (70 mph)97 (60 mph)48 (30 mph);
32 (20 mph) (Wales)		0.08;
0.05 (Scotland)		N/aAllN/aRecommendedRecommendedRecommendedNo17No
Country codeCountrySpeed limit on motorway (km/h) Speed limit on dual carriageway (km/h)Speed limit on single carriageway (km/h)Speed limit in urban areas (km/h)Permitted alcohol level (%)Toll roadsSeatbelt requiredMinimum child age (front seat)Triangle requiredFirst aid requiredFire extinguisher requiredSpare bulb requiredMinimum driver's ageTow rope required

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Global status report on road safety 2013: Albania" (PDF). World Health Organization. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  2. ↑ "Laws and Tips for Driving in Belgium - EUroadlegal.co.uk". EUroadlegal.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "Global status report on road safety 2013: Bosnia and Herzegovina" (PDF). World Health Organization. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  4. ↑ "Global status report on road safety 2013: Belarus" (PDF). World Health Organization. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "Germany Traffic Code" (in German). www.gesetze-im-internet.de. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
  6. ↑ "Laws and Tips for Driving in Germany - EUroadlegal.co". EUroadlegal.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  7. ↑ The general speed limit on Finnish motorways is the same as the general speed limit outside built-up areas (80 km/h). The maximum speed that can be allowed is 120 km/h. In winter speed limit in motorways is 100 km/h
  8. ↑ "Laws and Tips for Driving in Ireland - EUroadlegal.co.uk". EUroadlegal.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "Global status report on road safety 2013: Malta" (PDF). Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Snelheid in het verkeer: de regels | ANWB". www.anwb.nl. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  11. ↑ "Dutch Toll Roads – A guide to toll roads in The Netherlands - rhinocarhire.com". rhinocarhire.com. Retrieved 8 June 2016. (There are two tunnels, in which you have to pay toll)
  12. ↑ "Russian Federation Traffic Code" (DOC) (in Russian). www.gibdd.ru. Retrieved 2013-07-15.
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