Since its inception, the Facebook social network has had its share of recurring publications. This time, we are interested in the photography of a highway in Germany which returns regularly. Shared in many groups around the world for several years, the image is most often used to make Internet users react to the lack of courtesy of motorists in their respective countries.
On February 7, for example, we could read in the caption on the on the infos.fr account : “When traffic comes to a standstill in Germany, drivers are required by law to move to the curb on either side to create a clear lane. This allows emergency vehicles to pass. It’s called road safety education and should be international law. »
But does German law really oblige motorists to create an escape route in the event of traffic congestion? To answer, 20 minutes consulted the rules of conduct of our German neighbors.
FAKE OFF
In Germany, it is called the principle of “Rettungsgasse” – understand “the emergency lane”. According to the European Consumer Centercontacted by 20 minutesit is indeed “a legal obligation since 1982 in the German Highway Code”.
The principle is simple: in the event of a traffic jam, or when cars are driving slowly, motorists must respect “an emergency corridor”. This must be between the leftmost lane and the other lanes, as seen in the photo posted on Facebook. This “emergency lane must remain free”, adds the European Consumer Centre. Before explaining: “This obligation must allow police vehicles, firefighters, ambulances or even tow trucks to circulate easily. »
And beware of those who decide to ignore the law! The driver who does not respect this rule risks a fine of 200 euros, two penalty points on his driving license and a driving ban for one month.
A German road, really?
But is photography really located in Germany? After some research, we found the photograph on the Wikipedia online encyclopedia image bank. The caption indicates that the image was taken in April 2005 on the German Autobahn A 66, in the direction Kurz-Schlüchtern. The description also mentions the principle of Rettungsgasse.