New traffic regulations for 2017

Every year, road users have to adapt to new traffic laws and regulations. These are the most important amendments in 2017.

With the beginning of 2017 there are some new traffic laws and regulations for car drivers and other road users that will come into effect. We give an overview about all important amendments. (Picture: Pixabay)

The most important amendment of traffic regulations in 2017 relates to a problem that since many years, is getting more and more serious for emergency personnel: the emergency corridor. On motorways and multilane federal highways, policemen and fire rescuers often have the tedious task cleaving their way through traffic jams in order to get to the accident site. Valuable time gets lost; often, human lives are at stake. From 2017 on, there will be a new regulation. In case of walking speed or traffic jam, drivers have to form an emergency corridor right away – between the extreme left and the neighbouring right lane. Up to now, in case of four lanes, the emergency corridor had to be formed in the middle of the road.

Tempo 30 limit becomes easier

From 2017 on, it will become easier for municipalities to define punctual 30 kph zones also on main roads. This includes real or potential accident black spots including – among others- zones around schools, kindergartens and retirement homes. However, the general speed limit of 50 kph within cities remains valid.

In future, appliers for driving licenses will face higher costs. So do all owners of cars every two years. The costs for the written and road tests for the driver’s license will slightly increase. The written test will costs 11.90 Euros, the road test 91.50 Euros. The costs for the general inspection for automobiles will also rise. Depending on the federal province, it will cost between 34.99 and 54.86 Euros.

Practical regulations for cyclists

The new traffic regulations 2017 also include some changes for cyclists. In case there is no special traffic light for cyclists, they will have to adhere to the traffic light for cars instead of the pedestrian lights, as it has been the case before. Another interesting fact for cyclists: From 2017 on, parents are allowed to use the walkway with their bikes together with their little children. Up to now, children under the age of 8 years had to drive on the walkway, all other cyclists had to use the cycle path or the road.

There will be also some new regulations for buyers of new cars. From 2017 on, motorcycles at least have to meet the exhaust standard EURO IV. Moreover, the driving noise of motorbikes 175 cc of engine size has to be 80 db (A) max. From September on, the more realistic “Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure” for the determination of the average consumption of cars will come into effect.