Traffic signsGermany

A parking disc shows when a vehicle arrived at a time-limited parking space. It allows parking enforcement officers to determine whether the permitted parking period has been exceeded.

It should normally be placed clearly visible behind the windscreen or in another position specified by local traffic rules so that the indicated time can be read from outside the vehicle.

Generally no where the applicable rules prohibit extending the parking period in this way. The vehicle normally has to leave the parking space before a new parking period can begin.

Disabled parking spaces are intended for eligible people who hold a valid disabled parking permit or card. The exact eligibility requirements and permit system depend on the country.

Generally no. Disabled parking permits are normally personal and may only be used when the permit holder is driving or travelling in the vehicle.

No. A permit may provide access to reserved spaces or exemptions from certain parking restrictions, but rules concerning parking charges and time limits vary between countries and local authorities.

Traffic management is the organised control and guidance of traffic using signs, signals, road markings, lane controls, speed restrictions, diversions and other measures.

Traffic management is used to improve safety, control traffic flow and reduce disruption. It can also protect road workers, pedestrians, cyclists and emergency services.

Common methods include traffic lights, road signs, road markings, variable-message signs, lane-control signals, temporary barriers, speed restrictions and diversions. Authorised persons may also direct traffic.

Yes. Temporary or variable speed-limit signs may impose a different maximum speed because of congestion, roadworks, weather, incidents or other conditions. Drivers must follow the limit currently displayed.

Yes. Lane-control signals, temporary signs or road markings may close lanes, move traffic into different lanes or require drivers to change lane. Follow the current signs and markings rather than the normal road layout.

Move into an open lane safely and in good time, following any arrows, signs and local merging rules. Never continue along a lane that is clearly indicated as closed.

Yes. Properly authorised temporary signs used for roadworks, incidents or other traffic-management measures must be obeyed in the same way as other official traffic signs.

Follow the directions of the authorised person. In many countries, these directions take precedence over traffic lights, road signs or the normal traffic rules.

Roadworks may use temporary speed limits, lane closures, barriers, temporary markings, traffic lights and diversions. Road users should reduce speed where necessary and carefully follow the temporary route.

Yes. Temporary or permanent traffic arrangements should account for pedestrians and cyclists as well as motor vehicles. They may be provided with separate routes, crossings, signals or diversions where necessary.

Check behind and around the vehicle for pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles and obstacles. Use mirrors and cameras where available, but also look directly because monitoring systems can have blind spots.

In many countries, reversing is treated as a manoeuvre and the reversing driver must give way to other road users. The exact legal requirements depend on national traffic rules.

No. Reversing should normally be limited to the distance necessary to complete the manoeuvre safely. Driving forward generally provides better visibility and vehicle control.

An uncontrolled crossroad is an intersection where priority is not specifically assigned by traffic lights, an authorised person or priority signs. Drivers must use the default priority rules of the country.

This depends on the local traffic law. Some countries use priority from the right, while others use different rules. Drivers should know the default intersection rule of the country in which they are driving.

Not necessarily. The width, surface or amount of traffic on a road does not by itself determine priority unless local law specifically provides otherwise.

Yes. Approach at a speed that allows you to observe approaching traffic, determine who has priority and stop safely if necessary.

Yes. Cyclists generally follow the applicable intersection priority rules unless a specific cycle facility, sign or local rule provides otherwise.

No. Continuing straight ahead does not automatically give priority over traffic approaching on another road. The applicable priority rules must still be followed.

Turning may create additional obligations, particularly towards pedestrians, cyclists or opposing traffic. Drivers must follow both the intersection priority rule and the rules governing the intended turn.

Apply the country's default priority rule. Do not rely simply on which vehicle appears to have arrived first unless local law specifically uses that rule.

The intersection is not necessarily completely uncontrolled. Priority signs, road markings and default priority rules may still determine who must give way. Drivers should approach with particular caution.

Reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Never force your way through an intersection simply because the priority situation is unclear.

A road surface warning indicates that the surface ahead may be uneven, damaged or otherwise capable of affecting the safe movement of vehicles.

Depending on the country, it may warn of bumps, depressions, potholes, broken pavement, uneven repairs or other surface irregularities.

Reduce speed where necessary, increase your awareness of the road ahead and be prepared for changes in the vehicle's stability or direction.

Not normally. A warning sign alerts drivers to a hazard rather than establishing a numerical speed limit. A separate speed-limit sign may be used where a particular maximum speed is required.

Where slowing is necessary, it is generally safer to reduce speed before reaching the irregular surface rather than braking sharply while travelling over it.

A severe surface irregularity can affect tyre contact, steering, braking and vehicle stability. It can also damage tyres, wheels or suspension components.

Yes. Two-wheeled vehicles can be particularly sensitive to potholes, ridges and other irregularities because these hazards may disturb their balance or alter their direction suddenly.

No. An uneven-road warning concerns the physical condition or shape of the road surface. A slippery-road warning concerns reduced tyre grip caused by the surface or conditions such as water, ice, mud or other substances.

Yes. A supplementary sign may indicate the distance to the hazard or the length of the affected section, depending on the country's traffic-sign system.

Yes, when conditions require it. Additional distance provides more time to react if the vehicle ahead slows suddenly to avoid a pothole or other surface defect.

An exit is a designated route or point that allows traffic to leave a road, motorway or expressway and continue toward another road or destination.

Check the direction signs, select the correct lane in good time, signal when required and avoid sudden lane changes when approaching the exit.

Continue safely along the road and use a later exit or another permitted route. Do not stop, reverse or make a dangerous sudden manoeuvre simply to reach an exit you have missed.

Equestrian refers to horse riding and, in a traffic context, particularly to people travelling on horseback or using designated horse-riding routes.

Depending on local rules, riders may use roads, bridleways, paths or routes specifically designated for horse riding.

Drivers should slow down, leave plenty of space and pass calmly, avoiding sudden acceleration, horn use or other actions that could frighten the horse.

Hazardous cargo includes substances and articles classified as dangerous for transport, such as explosives, gases, flammable materials, toxic or infectious substances, radioactive materials and corrosive substances.

Yes, when the applicable dangerous-goods rules require them. Packages and vehicles can require hazard labels, placards, identification numbers or other markings that identify the nature of the danger.

Yes. Dangerous-goods vehicles can be subject to route and tunnel restrictions according to the type and quantity of goods being transported and the classification of the road or tunnel.

An emergency exit is a designated escape route that allows people to leave the traffic area of a tunnel and reach a safer location during an emergency.

Use an emergency exit when evacuation is necessary because of fire, smoke or another serious danger, or when instructed to evacuate by tunnel personnel or emergency services.

No. Tunnel emergency exits are intended for people evacuating on foot. Leave the vehicle when necessary and follow the marked escape route towards safety.

It provides an emergency stopping area for a vehicle that can no longer slow down adequately with its normal brakes. It is particularly intended for heavy vehicles on long or steep descents.

Depending on its design, the ramp may rise uphill or contain deep gravel, sand or another arresting material that creates resistance and rapidly reduces the vehicle's speed.

No. An escape ramp is an emergency safety facility and should be kept clear for vehicles that have lost effective braking or control.

An oversize load is a load that makes a vehicle or vehicle combination exceed one or more of the normal legal dimensions for road use, such as its permitted width, height or length.

Often yes. Depending on the country, dimensions and route, a permit may be required and can specify where and when the vehicle may travel and what additional safety measures must be used.

Escort vehicles can warn other road users, help manage difficult road sections and assist the exceptional vehicle when its size creates additional traffic risks. The number and type of escorts required depend on national rules and the dimensions of the transport.

A cycle highway is a continuous cycling route designed to make longer bicycle journeys fast, direct, safe and comfortable. It commonly connects towns, cities and important destinations.

No. A cycle path is a particular part of a road or a separate path intended for cyclists. A cycle highway is an entire route and may contain several different types of cycling infrastructure.

No. Although high-quality separated infrastructure is common, a cycle highway may also use quiet streets, shared roads, greenways, bridges, tunnels and other suitable connections.

No. The designation of a route as a cycle highway does not by itself give cyclists priority at every intersection or crossing. Priority is determined by the applicable traffic signs, markings and local traffic rules.

Not necessarily. Some sections may be completely separated from motor traffic, while others may follow roads that are also open to cars or other vehicles. Access depends on the rules applying to each section.

This depends on the infrastructure. Some sections may be shared with pedestrians, while others may be reserved for cyclists or particular categories of road users. Follow the signs at the location.

Ordinary electrically assisted bicycles can generally use routes available to bicycles. Different rules may apply to high-speed electric bicycles or speed pedelecs, depending on their legal classification and the signs applying to each section.

There is no universal cycle-highway speed limit. Speed rules depend on the country, type of infrastructure, vehicle category and locally displayed restrictions.

Yes. Cycle highways may cross roads, railway lines and other routes. High-quality networks often use bridges, tunnels or carefully designed crossings to reduce delays and conflicts, but intersections may still occur.

Cycle highways may be identified by route numbers, logos, destination signs or distinctive wayfinding markings. The appearance and legal significance of this signage vary between countries and regions.

Carsharing is a system in which several people use one or more shared cars at different times rather than each user owning the vehicle.

Users normally reserve a shared vehicle for a particular journey or period through a carsharing organisation or platform and return or leave it according to the rules of that service.

Yes. Some countries and municipalities provide parking spaces specifically reserved for authorised shared vehicles. The signs, permits and conditions vary by location.

A city limit marks the boundary of a city, town, village, locality or municipality. On roads, it is often indicated by a place-name or boundary sign.

No. A city-limit or locality sign may simply identify a place or administrative boundary. A legally defined built-up area can use a different sign or definition.

No. In some countries a locality or boundary sign has consequences for traffic rules, while in others it mainly identifies the place. Drivers must follow the traffic signs and rules that apply in that country.

Not always. Some signs indicate an administrative municipal boundary, while others identify a city, town, village or locality without exactly following the municipality's legal boundary.

A city limit identifies the boundary of a named place or administrative area. A built-up area is a traffic-law concept that may affect rules such as default speed limits. The two boundaries can coincide, but they do not have to.

A gantry is an overhead structure spanning a road that supports traffic signs, signals or other traffic-management equipment.

Gantries allow signs and signals to be placed directly above traffic lanes, making lane-specific directions, restrictions and traffic information easier to see.

Yes. Where signs or lane-control signals are positioned above individual lanes, each indication may apply only to the lane directly below it.

A distance board is a sign that tells road users how far they are from one or more destinations or facilities.

It may show destination names, distances, route numbers and directional information, depending on the country's road-sign system.

They are commonly used on motorways, major roads and other important routes to help drivers judge the remaining distance to destinations along their journey.

A breakdown bay is a designated area where a vehicle can leave the normal traffic lanes and stop because of a breakdown or other emergency.

They are commonly provided on motorways, major roads and in tunnels, particularly where there is no continuous emergency lane.

Normally, no. Breakdown bays are intended for emergencies and disabled vehicles rather than routine parking or rest stops.

A hiking route is a designated route intended for recreational walking or hiking, often through natural, rural or tourist areas.

They may be marked using colours, arrows, symbols, route numbers or numbered junctions. The marking system varies between countries and individual trail networks.

Not necessarily. Hiking-route markers are often recreational or tourist wayfinding signs and do not normally impose traffic rules unless an official traffic sign is also present.

Pavement parking means parking a vehicle fully or partly on a sidewalk or footway intended primarily for pedestrians.

It depends on the country. Many countries prohibit pavement parking unless traffic signs, markings or local regulations specifically permit it.

It can obstruct pedestrians and reduce accessibility, potentially forcing people with wheelchairs, pushchairs or other mobility needs into the roadway.

A road church is a church or chapel situated near a major road or motorway that is easily accessible to travellers.

Road churches provide travellers with a place for prayer, quiet reflection or a short break from their journey.

No. Road churches are particularly associated with certain European countries, and their availability, designation and signage vary considerably.

A tourist attraction is a place that visitors travel to because of its cultural, historical, natural, recreational or entertainment value.

Examples include monuments, castles, museums, scenic locations, cultural sites, amusement parks and recreational destinations.

Yes. Many countries use tourist or direction signs to guide travellers toward important attractions and places of interest.