German Road Traffic Regulations

Two of the basic prerequisites of road safety are that traffic rules and regulations are accepted by road users and that they are unambiguous.

Schedule of Fines and Penalty Points

Fines for traffic offences are designed to improve safety on Germany’s roads. They primarily target the main causes of accidents, especially inappropriate speed, dangerous overtaking manoeuvres, right-of-way violations, traffic light offences and failure to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Human error is responsible for 95 percent of all road traffic accidents.

Innovation from Germany

Germany’s expertise in the fields of transport, building and urban development is in demand all over the world.  Export-driven industries account for every second job, and companies already achieve one third of their turnover through trade with foreign business partners. But the enormous potential inherent in foreign markets is far from being exhausted.

Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development is pursuing a strategy outlining how Germany can make even better use of its economic opportunities abroad.

Electric Mobility

Charge it up, please! Electric vehicles refuel at charging points. There are already about 1,500 such vehicles operating on German roads. And this is just the beginning.

Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link

On 3 September 2008, the then Ministers of Transport signed the Treaty on the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Kingdom of Denmark. In February 2011, the Danish Minister of Transport and the Danish parties decided to pursue the immersed tunnel as the preferred option.

Freight Transport and Logistics Action Plan

The Federal Government’s Freight Transport and Logistics Action Plan is a strategic approach containing concrete measures for the future direction of freight transport.

Validity of foreign driving licences in the Federal Republic of Germany

These pages provide information on the most important German provisions for holders of foreign driving licences. If you have any further questions, for instance about the procedure for registration and issuing of German driving licences, you should contact your local driver licensing authority at your city or district council. We hope you will appreciate that the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development is unable to comment on individual cases.

External Economic Relations

Satellite-based HGV tolling, telematics systems, electric cars and much more besides – Germany's expertise in transport technologies is in demand all over the world.

Galileo – The European Satellite Navigation System

An independent, European, civil satellite navigation system, which is being developed for worldwide use, is being created in the form of Galileo.A reliable navigation and positioning system is increasingly becoming a key element for interlinking the different modes of transport to create an integrated transport system at the national and European levels.

European transport policy

The European Community's transport policy now encompasses almost all of the fields which comprise national transport policy, particularly: economic law for transport; social legislation for transport; traffic safety; environmental protection; and increasingly also transport infrastructure, consumer protection and relations with non-member countries. The Community's actions in the field of transport policy are restricted only by the principle of subsidiarity: The Community should only act where this is likely to produce better results than national action.

Today aviation forms an important part of the modern transport infrastructure

With its central position in the middle of Europe Germany is a hub for international air transport. From Germany there are flights connecting to all regions of the world. A significant proportion of the international transfer traffic in Europe is handled at German airports.

KLIWAS Conference Volume of the 1st Status Conference in Bonn on 18 and 19 March 2009

The impact of climate change on waterways and navigation – this is the key subject of the KLIWAS research programme. The potential consequences of climate change, also on navigation, are currently the subject of intense public discussion.

HGV tolling scheme – adjustment of toll rates on 1 January 2009

The Toll Level Regulations were last amended by the Regulations amending motorway toll legislation and the Vehicle Licensing Regulations of 20 November 2008. The amendments entered into force on 1 January 2009. Also on 1 January 2009, the Motorway Toll Act for Heavy Goods Vehicles was amended.

Environment and transport

Ensuring sustainable, environmentally-friendly and resource-conserving personal and freight mobility poses transport policy with a major challenge. To structure transport in an environmentally compatible and resource-conserving way, the Federal Government is pursuing a broad-based package of measures comprised of technical, regulatory policy, price policy and investment measures plus publicity and information measures.

Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2003

At its meeting on 2 July 2003, the Federal Cabinet adopted the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan 2003. It is a framework investment plan and a planning tool, but not a funding plan or programme.

Road safety

For many years now, the Federal Government, in cooperation with numerous groups and institutions engaged in road safety, has been conducting intensive and successful road safety activities. According to preliminary figures, 3,606 road users were killed in 2012.