Driving and Rules of the Road in Croatia

Description:

As of 2006, Croatia has 28,344 kilometers (17,612 mi) of roads. Out of these, there are 23,979 km (14,900 mi) of paved and 4,365 km (2,712 mi) of unpaved roadways.

Road rules

The traffic signs adhere to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.

* Vehicles drive on the right hand side of the road

* Vehicles entering a roundabout have right of way

* School buses and public transport have right of way when they are leaving a public stop

* It is illegal to drive on tram lines

* Motor vehicles are required to stop to let passengers on and off buses

* Use of the horn is permitted only in cases of immediate and extreme danger

* Speed limits are strict and radar traps are often set up to catch speeding motorists

* Headlights must be used at all times, by law

* On mountain roads, ascending vehicles have priority

The General Speed Limits are:

* in inhabited areas 50 km/h

* outside of inhabited areas 80 km/h

* on expressways 110 km/h

* on marked highways 130 km/h

In 2004, a controversial new traffic law was introduced, aimed at drastically reducing drunken/ dangerous driving: it reduced the blood alcohol limit to 0% alcohol in blood. In 2008 this law was reversed to 0.05% of alcohol in blood.

Some of the more technical safety measures include the fact that all new Croatian tunnels should now have modern safety equipment and there are several control centres, which monitor highway traffic.

A toll is charged on most highways, the only notable exception being the Zagreb bypass. Payment is in kuna, all major credit cards and euros are now accepted at all toll gates.