Autobahn rules and safety regulations
- Always drive on the righthand side of the street and overtake on the left.
- As soon as you have finished the passing maneuver, drive to the right again.
- Always use your turn signal when doing so.
- Double-check before changing lanes. Especially when you are changing from the right to the left lane, fast cars can sometimes appear out of nowhere.
- Be aware of a speed limit on freeways. This is especially common in sections with heavy traffic.
- In the event of a traffic jam: Move your vehicle as far as possible onto the hard shoulder so that rescue vehicles can pass easily if necessary.
Tip: You may not even realize how fast you are going. Therefore, always check your side mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes and stick to safe speeds.
Timed parking
A blue sign with a “P” on it indicates that you can park there. In such cases, you can often use a parking disc. This is a blue plate with a movable white scale that has the times on it. When you park in an area marked with the parking disc, it indicates how long you can park for free. Before you leave your car, take out your disc, set it to your arrival time and place it on the dashboard of your car.

Parking garages
If you want to park in a parking garage, pull a ticket from the machine before entering by pressing the button marked “Drücken.” Keep the ticket with you when you leave the car because you must pay before you return to your car. The prices in a parking garage vary. They range from €1 per half hour to about €1 per 2 hours.
Parking next to the street in Germany for a short amount of time
Most people in Germany park their vehicles next to the roadside. Parking on the side of the street is only allowed in the direction of travel on that side. In one-way streets, parking is allowed on both the right and the left sides, as traffic flows in the same direction on both sides. If you park on the side of the street, you often have to buy a parking ticket - but for short periods of time, parking alongside the road is sometimes free.
The left lane is for passing
The left lane on the Autobahn is for passing. Therefore, only move into this lane if you want to overtake someone yourself. Afterward, you should move back into your lane.
Tip: It is always better to look in the mirror twice to see if the lane is clear, because you may underestimate how fast the car is coming.
Right of way at the intersection
The rules for crossing at intersections are quite complicated in Germany. In most cases, drivers coming from the right have right of way in Germany. However, this rule can be overridden by a diamond-shaped sign that indicates right-of-way roads at intersections. This sign is not to be confused with the give way sign in Germany, which is an inverted triangle with a white inside and a red border.
Right of way at the intersection
The rules for crossing at intersections are quite complicated in Germany. In most cases, drivers coming from the right have right of way in Germany. However, this rule can be overridden by a diamond-shaped sign that indicates right-of-way roads at intersections. This sign is not to be confused with the give way sign in Germany, which is an inverted triangle with a white inside and a red border.

Compulsory seat belt use
Seat belts are compulsory in the front and rear seats of all German vehicles. Anyone caught not wearing a seat belt will be fined. Children under 12 must always ride in the back seat. A child younger than 12 years and smaller than 150 cm must be transported in a child seat or child restraint.
Car lighting
If the vehicle's lights are defective in any way, you must not drive at night. It is strictly forbidden in Germany to drive with only parking lights on.
First aid kit
All cars must have a first aid kit and a portable red warning triangle in the trunk. When a car has to stop on a German highway, the triangle is placed behind the vehicle to warn oncoming drivers. A yellow high-visibility vest must be worn when doing so.
Drinking and driving in Germany
If you want to drive in Germany, you need to know the laws about being under the influence of alcohol while driving. Germany has a point system that punishes drunk drivers particularly severely. In Germany, the blood alcohol limit is 0.5 mg of alcohol per mm of blood. For an average-sized person, that's just two small beers.