98 CultureShock! Austria
€ 65.00 (for motorbikes) must be paid. The substitute toll for
manipulation of toll stickers is € 240.00 (for cars/campervans)
or € 130.00 (for motorbikes). If these amounts are not paid,
there is a fine of between € 300.00 and € 3,000.00. The road
tax stickers may be purchased at automobile clubs (ÖAMTC
or ARBÖ) in Austria and abroad, at petrol stations and stores
close to the border, and at post offices (Postämter), tobacco
shops ( Tabak) and gas stations (Tankstelle).
Radars are becoming more and more obvious throughout
Austria. They are large, grey metal boxes located on the side
of the street. If you are going over the speed limit, a picture
of your car is taken, the licence plate number looked up, and
a traffic ticket sent to you by mail. So if you are in a rush
going through the city, make sure you smile!Rules of the Road
Traffic regulations in Austria are similar to those in other
European countries.
For driving during the winter months, winter tires are
essential; in extreme cases, snow chains have to be used.
These can be rented at all major border crossings.
The minimum driving age in Austria is 18.
Wearing seatbelts is compulsory. The driver is responsible
for the safety of his passengers, and will be held
accountable if anyone is injured while not wearing his or
her seatbelt.
Children under the age of 12, or shorter than 1.5 metre,
are not allowed to sit in the front seat. Infant seats are
mandatory for babies under the age of nine months. The
seats must go in the back as airbags pose a potential
danger to babies and small children.
Buses and trams have the right of way. Always yield to a
bus leaving a bus stop. Be careful not to block tram tracks
as trams are silent, heavy and will hit you, as they have
nowhere else to go. Some tramlines cross roads and always
have the right of way coming from the left. Stop where
trams stop (the stop is always in the middle of the road)
to allow passengers to get on and off safely.
The speed limit is 100 km/h on highways, 130 km/h