Emergency telephoneGermany

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64. Emergency telephone

An emergency telephone is a dedicated roadside or tunnel telephone that connects road users directly with an emergency, traffic-control or roadside-assistance centre. Emergency telephones are commonly installed in tunnels, along motorways or at other locations where quickly reporting an accident, breakdown or fire is important. They can provide operators with useful information about the caller’s location and may remain available where mobile-phone reception is poor.

Emergency telephone
An emergency telephone on Bundesautobahn 14. (Mittelsachsen, Germany)
Wikimedia.org • Ralf Lotys • CC BY
What is an emergency telephone?

An emergency telephone is a dedicated telephone used to contact emergency services, a traffic-control centre or roadside assistance from the road.

Where are emergency telephones commonly found?

They are commonly installed in road tunnels, motorway emergency areas and other locations where rapid assistance may be needed.

When should you use an emergency telephone?

Use an emergency telephone to report situations such as a breakdown, accident, fire or other serious road emergency when assistance is required.

Why use an emergency telephone instead of a mobile phone?

An emergency telephone may allow the operator to identify your location immediately and connect you directly with the responsible control centre. It can also be useful where mobile reception is poor.

Are emergency telephones available on every motorway?

No. Their availability varies between countries and road networks. Mobile phones and emergency apps have replaced many traditional roadside call boxes.

Is an emergency telephone free to use?

Dedicated emergency telephones are generally intended for emergency assistance and do not require normal telephone payment, although systems vary between countries.

1 Germany 2 Motorway 3 Expressway 4 Residential area 5 Zone 6 Speed limit 7 Footpath 8 Bike path 9 Shared-use path 10 Pedestrian warning 11 Tunnel 12 Bridge 13 Cycling street 14 Pedestrian zone 15 Toll road 16 Customs 17 One-way traffic 18 Quay 19 Slope 20 Bus lane 21 Bus stop 22 Dead end 23 Stop sign 24 Give way 25 Roundabout 26 Priority road 27 Road narrowing 28 Priority over oncoming traffic 29 Give way to oncoming traffic 30 Pedestrian crossing 31 Railway crossing 32 Mandatory direction 33 School area 34 Overtaking 35 Crossing animals 36 Slippery road 37 Rockfall 38 Aircraft 39 Curve 40 Chevron 41 Wrong-way driving 42 Roadworks 43 Crosswind 44 Height limit 45 Width limit 46 Length limit 47 Weight limit 48 Radar speed sign 49 Selective barriers 50 Low-emission zone 51 Intersection direction sign 52 Priority at the next junction 53 Traffic lights 54 Traffic lights warning 55 Pedestrian lights 56 Road markings 57 Junction layout 58 Bike box 59 Speed feedback 60 Driving licence 61 Location marker 62 Countdown markers 63 Traffic mirror 64 Emergency telephone 65 International border 66 Pedestrian underpass 67 Cycling route 68 End of restriction 69 Parking 70 No parking 71 No stopping 72 Parallel parking 73 Park and ride 74 Kiss and ride 75 Parking meter 76 Parking disc 77 Disabled parking 78 Traffic management 79 Reversing 80 Traffic jam 81 Detour 82 Uncontrolled crossroad 83 Road surface 84 Exit 85 Horse riding 86 Provisional licence 87 Hazardous cargo 88 Emergency exit 89 Runaway truck ramp 90 Oversize load 91 Cycle highway 92 Carsharing 93 City limit 94 Gantry 95 Distance board 96 Breakdown bay 97 Hiking 98 Pavement parking 99 Road church 100 Tourist attraction ...