What's the speed limit on the autobahn?
28572104#7
In 1973, in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, a federal speed limit of 100 km/h (62 mph) on Autobahns was imposed to help conserve fuel for fear of impending future shortages (not for environmental or safety reasons). The measure only lasted from December 1973 to March 1974; while the administration and the Bundestag were in favor of keeping the speed limit, the Bundesrat pushed to repeal the law. As a compromise, a "recommended speed" was introduced on Autobahns and "highways outside of built-up areas with a center divide or without a center divide and a continuous lane for overtaking in both directions". This law is basically still in effect today. Unrestricted non-Autobahn highways, however, have since become virtually non-existent or replaced by "Schnellstraßen", Autobahn-like expressways typically limited to 120 or 130 km/h and normally only covering a few kilometers.
Speed limits in Germany
5420913#2
One distinguishing characteristic between German "Bundesstraßen" and "Autobahnen" is that there usually is a general 100 km/h (62 mph) speed limit on federal highways out of built-up areas, as opposed to the merely advisory speed limit ("Richtgeschwindigkeit") of 130 km/h (83 mph) in unmarked sections of the autobahns. However, a number of "Bundesstraßen" have been extended as expressways (dual carriageways) (colloquially called "Yellow Autobahns"). Many of these have speed limits of usually 100–120 km/h, others have only an advisory speed limit like autobahns. Most sections of the federal highways are only single carriageway with one lane for each direction and no hard shoulder pull-out area.
Bundesstraße
5819766#6
Unlike German autobahns, on Austrian autobahns a general speed limit of 130 km/h (81 mph) is set, although as of August 25, 2018, the FPÖ government has been going on a trial for a possible speed limit increase to 140 km/h (87 mph) on the Autobahn 1 freeway. They may only be used by powered vehicles that are designed to achieve at least . While on the motorway voluntary stops, U-turns and backward driving are prohibited.
Autobahns of Austria
1764276#31
The Federal Road Research Institute ("Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen") solicited information about speed regulations on autobahns from the sixteen States and reported the following, comparing the years 2006 and 2008:
Except at construction sites, the general speed limits, where they apply, are usually between and ; construction sites usually have a speed limit of but the limit may be as low as . In rare cases, sections may have limits of , or on one ramp . Certain stretches have lower speed limits during wet weather. Some areas have a speed limit of in order to reduce noise pollution during overnight hours (usually 10pm – 6am) or because of increased traffic during daytime (6am – 8pm).
Some limits were imposed to reduce pollution and noise. Limits can also be temporarily put into place through dynamic traffic guidance systems that display the according message. More than half of the total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit, about one third has a permanent limit, and the remaining parts have a temporary or conditional limit.
Autobahn
78809#36
Just over half of the German autobahns have only an advisory speed limit (called in German "Richtgeschwindigkeit"), 15% have temporary speed limits due to weather or traffic conditions and 33% have permanent speed limits, according to 2008 estimates. The advisory speed limit applies to any road in Germany, regardless of its classification (e.g. Autobahn, Federal Highway, State Road etc.), outside of towns which is either a dual carriageway or features at least two lanes per direction unless there is another speedlimit posted, though it is less common for non-autobahn roads to be unrestricted. All other roads in Germany, again regardless of classification, outside of towns do have a general speed limit of 100 km/h, which is usually reduced to 80 km/h at Allée-streets (roeads bordered by trees or bushes on one or both sites). Travel speeds are not regularly monitored in Germany; however, a 2008 report noted that on the autobahn in Niemegk (between Leipzig and Berlin) "significantly more than 60% of road users exceed . More than 30% of motorists exceed ". Prior to German reunification in 1990, accident reduction programs in eastern German states were primarily focused on restrictive traffic regulation. Within two years after the opening, availability of high-powered vehicles and a 54% increase in motorized traffic led to a doubling of annual traffic deaths, despite "interim arrangements [which] involved the continuation of the speed limit of on autobahns and of outside cities. An extensive program of the four "E"s (enforcement, education, engineering, and emergency response) brought the number of traffic deaths back to pre-unification levels after a decade of effort while traffic regulations were conformed to western standards (e.g., freeway advisory limit, on other rural roads, and ).
Speed limit
78809#1
The first maximum speed limit was the limit introduced in the United Kingdom in 1861. The highest posted speed limit in the world is , which applies to some motorways in UAE. However, some roads have no speed limit for certain classes of vehicles. Best known are Germany's less congested Autobahns, where automobile drivers have no mandated maximum speed. Measurements from the German state of Brandenburg in 2006 showed average speeds of on a 6-lane section of autobahn in free-flowing conditions. Rural roads on the Isle of Man and the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana, also lack speed limits.
Speed limit
1764276#32
Some cars with very powerful engines can reach speeds of well over . Major German car manufacturers, except Porsche, follow a "gentlemen's agreement" by electronically limiting the top speeds of their cars—with the exception of some top of the range models or engines—to . These limiters can be deactivated, so speeds up to might arise on the German autobahn, but due to other traffic, such speeds are generally not attainable except during certain times like between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. or on Sundays (when trucks drivers have to rest by law). Furthermore, there are certain autobahn sections which are known for having light traffic, making such speeds attainable during most days (especially some of those located in Eastern Germany). Most unlimited sections of the autobahn are located outside densely populated areas.
Autobahn
1764276#46
In 2014, the conservative-liberal ruling coalition of Saxony confirmed its rejection of a general speed limit on autobahns, instead advocating dynamic traffic controls where appropriate. Between 2010 and 2014 in the State of Hesse, transportation ministers Dieter Posch and his successor Florian Rentsch, both members of the Free Democratic Party, removed or raised speed limits on several sections of autobahn following regular 5-year reviews of speed limit effectiveness; some sections just prior to the installation of Tarek Al-Wazir (Green Party) as Transportation Minister in January 2014 as part of an uneasy CDU-green coalition government. In 2015, the left-green coalition government of Thuringia declared that a general autobahn limit was a Federal matter; Thuringia would not unlaterally impose a general Statewide limit, although the Thuringian environmental minister had recommended a limit.
Autobahn
1764276#2
A 2008 estimate reported that 52% of the autobahn network had only the advisory speed limit, 15% had temporary speed limits due to weather or traffic conditions, and 33% had permanent speed limits. Measurements from the German State of Brandenburg in 2006 showed average speeds of on a 6-lane section of autobahn in free-flowing conditions.
Autobahn
28572104#18
There is a general speed limit of 80 km/h (50 mph) for trucks with a GVWR over 3,500 kg (7,716 lbs) and for vehicles with trailers. For vehicles with a GVWR of over 7,500 kg (16,534 lbs) the limit is set to 60 km/h (37 mph) except on autobahns (also 80 km/h). For coaches and cars with trailers the limit is increased to 100 km/h on autobahns (under certain requirements). Posted speed signs for trucks are not common, they can be seen on some dangerous curves or descents.
Speed limits in Germany