General speed limits for cars
These limits apply unless signs show something else:
- Inside a built-up area: 50 km/h (many streets are 30 km/h zones, shown with signs)
- Outside a built-up area: 80 km/h (some roads 60 km/h, shown with signs)
- Expressway (autoweg): 100 km/h
- Motorway: 100 km/h between 6:00 and 19:00; in the evening and at night a higher limit may apply where signs show it, for example 130 km/h
- Residential zone (erf): walking pace
Signs and matrix signs
- A round sign with a red border and a number is a maximum speed.
- The same sign with grey diagonal lines means the limit has ended.
- A number in a red circle on an electronic sign above your lane is a binding maximum speed.
Distance: the 2-second rule
Keep at least 2 seconds of distance to the vehicle in front. Choose a fixed point: when the car in front passes it, count "one thousand one, one thousand two". In rain, fog or on a slippery road, keep more distance.
Stopping distance
Stopping distance = reaction distance + braking distance.
- An alert driver needs about 1 second to react. At 50 km/h you travel about 14 metres in that second; at 100 km/h about 28 metres.
- Braking distance grows with the square of the speed: twice as fast means about four times as long.
- On a wet road your braking distance becomes longer.
Overtaking
- You normally overtake on the left. A vehicle that indicates left and is positioned to turn left may be overtaken on the right.
- Before overtaking, check mirrors and blind spot, make sure nobody is overtaking you and that there is enough free space.
- A continuous white line may not be crossed; a broken line may be crossed when it is safe.
- While you are being overtaken, you may not speed up.
- Keep to the right as much as possible; use the left lanes to overtake.