Belgium

high acciddent rate, complex regulations

As you might expect in the home country of European bureaucracy, driving in Belgium can be a nightmare of complex regulations and expensive fines.You only have to look at the number of bumps and scratches on Belgian cars to realize that accidents happen all too often. Belgians are often lazy in using indicators, so don’t be surprised if someone pulls out in front of you on the motorway with no warning.

IMPORTANT: The ‘priority to the right’ rule; you may be driving down a main road and a car simply zips on to it from a blind corner on the right, and, surprisingly enough, they have priority.

For a link to advice from the AA please click here

*information correct at time of publishing

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Documents you must carry in the vehicle

• Driving licence
• Passport
• Green card (or insurance document) - we supply this for rentals
• VE103 (or log book - photocopy is unacceptable) - we supply this for rentals
• 'Letter of Authority' to rent the vehicle - we supply this for rentals
• Rental Agreement - we supply this for rentals

What you must have in the vehicle

• Warning triangle
• High Viz jack for every person traveling in the vehicle

Children

• Children under 18 and less than 1.35m must use a suitable child-restraint system whether in the front or rear
• When two childen are already in the vehicle using a restraint systems and there isn’t adequate room to place a third child restraint system, then the third child may travel on the back seat protected by the adult seat belt.
• Children under 3 can not be transported in a vehicle without a child seat/restraint
• You must not use a rear facing child seat on a front seat with a front airbag unless the airbag is deactivated

Speed

• 12 mph (20 km/h) - Residential areas
• 31 mph (50 km/h) - Built-up areas
• 55 mph (90 km/h) - Main Roads
• 74 mph (120 km/h) - Dual carriageways separated by a central reservation
• 43 mph (70km/h) - Minimum spped Motorways

Do's

• At signed roundabouts traffic entering from the right has priority.
• You must use dipped headlights in poor daytime visibility
• Wear seatbelts where fitted.
• Although rarely enforced, in some cities in one way streets, vehicles must park on the carriageway from the 1st to the 15th of the month on the side of the road where buildings have odd numbers, and from the 16th until the end of the month on the side where buildings have even numbers.
• Do switch off your engine when stationary, unless absolutely necessary to kep it running.
• When overtaking a cyclist or moped rider, there should be a distance of at least 1m between the vehicle and the cyclist/moped.
• On congested roads, drivers driving on a lane that is coming to an end or where traffic is obstructed, must continue until they get to the point where the lane starts to close up and then merge into the adjacent lane. Drivers in the lane that remains open must give way in turns, and allow drivers from the lane that narrows to merge in turn.

Dont's

• Do not speed, on-the-spot fines for exceeding the speed limit are high. Fines can be paid in cash, euros or debit/credit card.
• You must deactivate the speed camera alert on sat navs or you could be slapped with an on the spot fine
• The French police can carry out random breath tests. Take the zero risk approach.