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Driving in Romania – what are the rules?

It’s a beautiful country with plenty to see and do from your car. But Romania does not have a good record when it comes to road quality and general safety while driving. Here’s what you need to know before hitting the road there.

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Fancy something a bit different from the norm when it comes to a European motoring holiday? Romania could be your next port of call then.

It’s a big country in terms of land mass – the 12th largest in Europe, just behind the UK – and has lots to offer. With Ukraine to its north, Bulgaria to the south and bordering the Black Sea to the east, Romania is a land full of history, heritage and interest.

The River Danube skirts the country, bringing with it wildlife and scenery, while more than half of the Carpathian Mountain (Muntii Carpati) range lies in Romania where it is home to bears, wolves and other animals of the forest.

The country’s capital, Bucharest, has a buzz and excitement about it, offering restaurants, hotels and nightclubs, but you can also enjoy more tranquil places including medieval castles and ancient villages. Transylvania, of course, was the home to literature’s Count Dracula, and that becomes evident through the region’s impressive gothic castles such as that in Bran.

There’s plenty of business to be had in Romania too. Bucharest is one of the major financial centres of eastern Europe while electric machinery, textiles, wheat, corn and car production are all massive industries for the state.

But Romania regularly finishes bottom of any ‘safest countries to drive’ study and has a poor record when it comes to road deaths per million inhabitants. Compare its latest figure of 86 deaths per million with the UK’s 26 and top-ranking Norway’s 21.

This disappointing result is thought to be down to several factors, especially road condition outside of major cities, narrow and unlit routes and a generally poor standard of driving by the locals, especially in more rural areas.

Almost ironically, the country’s traffic police take a hard line on dangerous driving and will issue harsh penalties to wrong doers, including spot fines and even vehicle confiscation.

It’s possible to drive to Romania if you have the time, probably going through Germany, Austria and Hungary, so you’ll see some wonderful sights even before you cross the Romanian border. 

Flying in and hiring a vehicle is another option for travel and you’ll find a wide selection of car rental companies, such as Sixt, Enterprise, Europcar and Avis operating from the country’s main airports.

Driving in Romania is a completely different experience from doing so in the UK, not just because the people there drive on a different side of the road from us. 

It’s much more than that and planning a driving holiday or taking your car to the country on business, requires careful planning and a good understanding of what you can, and can’t do behind the wheel while there.

Here, The Car Expert looks at the most important elements to consider when planning to drive in Romania, and we’ve included a handy checklist. As each journey is unique, always check that you have everything covered for your particular visit.

Basic rules

You must be 18 years or over to drive in Romania and you should have held a full UK driving licence for at least a year. Just the licence card will do, as the paper counterpart is no longer a requirement. International Driving Permits are recognised but are not a necessity.

You’ll need to prove that you have car insurance cover for your vehicle so take your certificate with you (but you don’t need a European ‘green card’). You should also always carry with you documents that show the identity of your car, such as a V5C ‘logbook’. 

If it’s registered in the UK, your vehicle’s ‘home country’ must be shown on it. A ‘UK’ sticker on the rear is one way to do this but you can also show a small UK badge on both number plates if you wish. The ‘GB’ badge is no longer allowed, even within European ‘golden stars’ and the same goes for country signs such as the English, Scottish or Welsh flags.

It’s quite likely you’ll be using a hire car, in which case always have the rental agreement paperwork with you while driving. And take your personal ID or passport everywhere too.

You must be at least 21 years old to hire a car although some hire companies will add a surcharge if you are under 25. The maximum age for hiring a vehicle is 70.

Speed limits

Speed limits are shown in kilometres (km/h) rather than miles (mph). In built-up areas the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph). Outside of these suburban areas the limit varies between 90 km/h (56 mph) and 110 km/h (68 mph) but it can change from region to region so keep a close eye on local signage. Motorways have a blanket 130 km/h (81 mph) limit. 

For new drivers with a licence less than a year old, these limits are reduced by 20 km/h (12 mph).

The traffic police are vigilant and will hand out on-the-spot fines. These will reflect the seriousness of your speeding transgression. Get caught at 20 km/h (12 mph) over the speed limit and you face a 290 Romanian Leu (£50) fine. But stray 50 km/h over and you could get hit with a 1,340 Leu (£230) penalty. 

Speed camera detection devices are not illegal when driving on Romanian roads. But don’t use a mobile phone while driving unless it is ‘hands-free’ or you could be fined 580 Leu (£100).

Blood alcohol limits

We don’t recommend any drinking of alcohol if you are going to drive, and this is especially pertinent in Romania where a zero tolerance on drink driving was introduced in an effort to improve its road safety record. The limit for all drivers is 0 g/l so do not consider even a small glass of wine with lunch if you are planning on getting behind the wheel again. 

And beware the next morning if you have had a couple of extra drinks the night before. By comparison, it’s 0.8 g/l (0.8 milligrams) in England and Wales. 

Penalties for a positive test range from a fine to a temporary confiscation of your driving licence or even a prison sentence.

What to carry in the car

You must have in your car a warning triangle, hi-viz reflective jacket, first aid kit and fire extinguisher. The authorities also expect you to have headlamp converters for your headlights (or have manually adjusted lamps) so you don’t dazzle on-coming drivers. And consider carrying some spare bulbs in case one blows.

Specialist suppliers, such as motoring organisations, sell ‘European driving kits’ for £25-£30, which contain everything you are likely to need for a Continental road trip, and it’s well worth investing in one. 

Seat belts

Seat belt rules are the same as in the UK: if your car has them, they must be worn. It’s the driver’s responsibility to make sure everyone is buckled up – there’s a 290 Leu (£50) fine for not using one. 

And children need to be fastened up too and kept in the rear of the car – under-12s are not allowed in the front. Those under three years old must be in an approved child restraint for their size while under-12s and any shorter than 150 cm must be on a booster seat.

Driving

Keep to the right-hand lane as much as possible but if you are overtaking you must do so on the left, unless it’s a tram which are passed on the right. If there is insufficient room to go right side, or you are in a one-way street, you may overtake on the left.

Some tram stops don’t have a pedestrian island. If that’s the case you should stop at least five metres behind any stationary tram and not move until the tram doors have closed.

You will usually give way to vehicles using the ‘main’ road unless signs state otherwise. At crossroads that have no controls or road markings, give priority to vehicles on your right. Give way to emergency vehicles as soon as you can safely. Don’t overtake on bridges. 

If you have an accident you should notify the police because visibly damaged vehicles can only leave the country with a police damage confirmation form.

In Romania you should use dipped headlamps when driving outside of built-up areas, such as A-roads and motorways. Horns should be used sparingly – they are prohibited in built-up areas between 10pm and 6am. Use headlights to warn of your presence instead.

It can get extremely cold and icy in Romania and, if it snows, you will be expected to have the appropriate winter tyres fitted to your vehicle. They must be fitted to all four wheels if snow settles on the road.

When towing a trailer or caravan ensure that your car and the rig don’t exceed 12 metres in length, 3 metres in height and 2.55 metres in width. Make sure you can see clearly behind you with the use of two wide rear-view mirrors. 

Traffic signs

Traffic lights are red, amber and green and follow a similar pattern to the UK. You might see an additional green light though which, if flashing, means you can turn right as long as you give way to pedestrians or oncoming traffic. There are spot fines of 870 Leu (£150) for ignoring a red light. 

Road signs usually have pictures which are self-explanatory and include the ‘road narrows’, ‘falling rocks’ and ‘deer crossing’ warning signs that UK drivers will be familiar with. There’s a warning sign meaning ‘car accidents’ in Romania, which tells its own story. Most signs will be written in Romanian where applicable, but the stop sign features the word ‘Stop’ in English. 

Mandatory instructions are usually blue circles with pictures, prohibitory signs are white circles with a red outline while warning signs are white triangles with a red outline. Information signs are usually blue squares. Directional signs are generally white squares with the town names written in Romanian and the distances shown in kilometres.

Fuel availability

Unleaded and diesel and are widely available on Romania’s road network and there is growing coverage for electric vehicles (EVs). LPG is available at some garages and is quite cheap. There are no automatic pumps available and you should plan to pay with cash wherever possible. You fill up first and then pay in the kiosk.

Motorways and state roads (not city roads) in Romania are paid for by tolls. Check carefully if you will need to pay and do it in advance by way of a ‘vignette’ which you can buy at fuel stations or online. They are valid for a variety of time periods from a day to a year. For cars, for example, one day costs 12 Leu (£2.10) and a year is 140 Leu (£24).

There might also be bridge tolls at some points where the road crosses the River Danube. 

Parking

Major cities have closely monitored parking bays with various charges depending on where you stop. Bucharest operates a pay-and-display system. There are plenty of on-street and off-street places available but read instructions carefully and obey the rules or you’ll face a fine. Don’t stop for long – anything more than five minutes is considered ‘parked’ by the authorities.

If you do park on the street, make sure you are facing the direction of traffic, on the right side of the street and are well over towards the pavement. Don’t park in a cycle lane or one reserved for public transport.

The fine for illegal parking is up to 870 Leu (£150). Illegally parked cars will also be clamped, in some areas, or even removed altogether.

Emergency number

In Romania, as with most of Europe, you can dial 112 and make contact with emergency services such as fire, ambulance or police, 24 hours a day. Operators will speak English, French other European languages.

Checklist

Must haves:

  • Driving licence
  • Passport
  • Vehicle insurance
  • MOT certificate
  • V5 or vehicle ID
  • Car rental papers (if appropriate)
  • UK sticker or number plate markings
  • Warning triangle
  • Headlamp beam deflectors
  • First aid kit
  • Hi-Viz jacket
  • Fire extinguisher

Options:

  • Spare bulb kit
  • Screen wash
  • Bottled water
  • Map or satnav
  • Phone power bank
  • Torch
  • Fuel can

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Tom Johnston
Tom Johnstonhttp://johnstonmedia.com/
Tom Johnston was the first-ever reporter on national motoring magazine Auto Express. He went on to become that magazine’s News Editor and Assistant Editor, and has also been Motoring Correspondent for the Daily Star and contributor to the Daily and Sunday Express. Today, as a freelance writer, content creator and copy editor, Tom works with exciting and interesting websites and magazines on varied projects.