Motorway: rules and recommended speed

In short: Special rules apply on motorways: joining, overtaking, distance and breakdowns. In Germany many sections have no general speed limit but a recommended speed of 130 km/h.

In more detail: The minimum speed on motorways is 60 km/h.

In detail

• Merging: On the acceleration lane match speed, zip merging (vorfahrtsregeln-und-rechts-vor-links).
• Keep right: Drive on the right, on the left only to overtake.
• Overtaking: Only on the left; overtaking on the right is forbidden (exception: traffic jam).
• Distance: At least half the speedometer value in metres, better more (abstand-halten-im-strassenverkehr, bremsweg-und-anhalteweg).
• Emergency corridor: Form it immediately in a jam, even without a siren.
• Breakdown: Hazard lights, hard shoulder, warning vest, wait behind the guardrail (pannenhilfe-und-warnweste).
• Tiredness: Breaks every two hours.
• Fuel consumption: Rises sharply with high speed (spritsparend-fahren).