Yahoo News UK tourists face £1,300 fines in Germany in crackdown from June
UK tourists face £1,300 fines in Germany from June 14 in a crackdown on motorists and drivers out in Europe for the European Championships. To avoid fines of up to €1,500, experts at Lotus Car Rental have provided six German driving laws to watch out for.
Similar to the UK, Brits need to make sure they’re sticking to the speed limit in other countries, such as Germany. On the autobahn, there are areas where there are no speed limits, and they are marked with circular white signs with four black diagonal lines. Some of the motorway has a 130 km/h advisory speed limit for all vehicles under 3.5 tonnes.
Unlike most countries, Germany also has a minimum speed limit. Make sure you don’t drive slower than 60 km/h in the slow lane, 90 km/h in the middle lane, and 110 km/h in the fast lane. According to Germany’s driving laws and regulations, if you go over or under the speed limit, you can find yourself paying a fine of €30-€800 depending on how much over/under you are, as well as facing a driving ban of up to 3 months.
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In Germany, traffic lights are a little different. Before the light turns green, a yellow signal will come on at the same time as the red for a second. This gives drivers a chance to get ready before the green light comes on. You cannot make a right turn on a red light unless you encounter a specific situation where a green arrow pointing right alongside the red light permits right turns, provided you give way to other vehicles and pedestrians.
One more light sign to be aware of, if you’re at a railway crossing and see a red flashing light, this means a train’s approaching so it’s vital you stop until the light stops flashing. During your trip, chances are you’ll need to park your car somewhere. Therefore, it’s beneficial to know the parking regulations in Germany so that you don’t fall victim to on-the-spot fines and potential vehicle confiscation.
A vehicle is considered parked if it remains stationary for more than 3 minutes. Avoid parking within 10m of traffic lights, in bike lanes, areas marked with no-parking signs, obstructing building entrances, within 15 meters of a bus stop, or within 5 meters of pedestrian crossings.
If you do find yourself parking illegally, you could be taking home a €5- 70 fine. Different violations result in different fines though, so if you find yourself parking on a motorway, you could end up with a €70 fine, compared to a €10-30 fine for parking near intersections.
However, this initial fine is just the beginning. Failure to pay within the specified timeframe could lead to additional penalties and an increased fine. If you depart Germany with an unpaid fine, you risk being barred from reentering Germany or other EU countries on your next visit. Make sure you have a full and valid UK driving license before setting off in Germany. Make sure you keep this with you at all times alongside your proof of insurance, passport and your V5C certificate, which proves ownership of your car.
