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Road Rules and Traffic Regulations in Netherlands - Driving Nuances
1. In the Netherlands you will find high quality roads with excellent lighting, numerous road signs and information boards. Driving on such roads will leave many positive memories for both experienced drivers and beginners. All roads in the country are free. Additional fees may be charged from drivers as a pay for using some bridges and tunnels. The cost of using toll road sections is small, and it usually ranges from 3 to 5 euro for cars.
2. The total length of roads in the Netherlands is approximately 125,500 miles. Less than 10% of the roads in the country do not have the asphalt surface. Therefore, it is safe to say that you can reach literally any settlement of the country in a modern and comfortable way.
3. Drivers need to be very careful about the issue of using of alcoholic beverages. The maximum allowed blood alcohol content for them is 0.5 ppm. Drivers, whose driving experience is less than five years, should not forget that the maximum allowed blood alcohol content for them is 0.2 ppm.
4. Driving while intoxicated is considered a serious violation, so the offender will have to pay a fine of 3,600 euro. Driving license suspension for a long period of time is also in the list of punishments for drunk driving. Moreover, if the drunk driver became the reason for an accident, he will face a prison sentence.
5. If the police ask you to take a breath test to detect the alcohol content, refusal is simply not accepted. It will cause a serious punishment that, in addition to a heavy fine and driving license cancellation, implies imprisonment.
Nuances of Car Rental in Netherlands
To save on your rental, we advise to book your car in advance. You will save the most if you do this several weeks or even several months prior to your trip. Rental offices in Netherlands usually raise rental prices over time, based on the number of cars left available for the accounting period.
When looking for an exotic car (cabriolet, minivan or limousine), we advise to check in the rental offices located at airports, as they usually provide much wider choice comparing to offices in urban areas.
Upon receipt of invoices, bills and documents for your car at the rental location, please compare the obtained data with your voucher. Quite often, employees of rental offices in Netherlands try to add optional charges or services without informing customers.
It is very important to pick up your car at the rental office in Netherlands in a correct way. Prior to leaving the office, carefully inspect the car for various defects, and ensure that all the discovered defects are mentioned in your rental documents. In case of a non-compliance found, place a demand for correction to the rental officer.
You can always check our car actual rental offers in Netherlands. Simply use the search form at the top of the page. We guarantee that you will not find better prices anywhere else!
7. It is also recommended to equip the vehicle with a set of spare bulbs and a warning triangle. Travelers, who intend to visit the country in winter, should not forget that during the cold season it is permitted to move on the roads of the Netherlands using winter tires only.
8. The requirements regarding the speed limit are the following: in residential areas the maximum allowed speed is 50 km/h, on country roads - 80 - 90 km/h, on highways - 110 - 130 km/h. When driving, it is important to pay attention to all road signs because the speed limit can vary depending on different parts of the road.
9. Speeding fines are quite high and can be up to 1100 euro. For example, having exceeded the allowed speed by just 20 km/h, the driver is guaranteed to receive a fine of not less than 70 euro.
10. Large fines are imposed for parking in the wrong place. The minimum fine for this type of violation is 500 euro. Drivers should also remember a very important rule – it is forbidden to park cars closer than 30 meters to a traffic light or a crossroads. If the road has yellow markings, then parking at this site is prohibited.
11. The fine for passing a red light is 1 600 euro. The same fine can be issued for wrong overtaking. The local police are authorized to impose fines right on the spot. It is possible to pay in cash or by credit card.
12. A huge number of cyclists is a striking feature of local roads. This type of transport is very popular with local people. Of course, that fact also adds some peculiarities to local traffic and its organization.
14. In some parts of local roads you may see unusual road signs that prohibit movement. Below them there is an additional panel with the word «uitgezondered» and images of a bike or a scooter. This means that all vehicles except bicycles and scooters are forbidden to move on that road.
15. Some crossroads have special traffic lights for cyclists. Such traffic lights are very easy to distinguish from ordinary traffic lights as they are equipped with a bright sign with the image of a cyclist. These traffic lights are switched by pressing a button.
16. In addition to cyclists, car drivers should not forget to pay attention to the public transport. As a rule, it has the advantage on the road, so you should always give way to buses and trams.
17. Some roads are equipped with special lanes for buses. Of course, other drivers are strictly prohibited to occupy those lanes. Drivers of public transport vehicles are very confident on the road and will never give way to ordinary cars. You should be extremely careful close to public transport stops.
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